Zuko's Vacation
by SpyralHax
Summary: Zuko is on business in the Earth Kingdom, and decides the world can handle him taking a break. So, he pops in on the geographically closest of his friends, but will he get more than he bargained for? Zuko x Ty Lee fluff people.
1. Chapter 1: Meeting Old Friends

**Zuko's Vacation - Chapter 1: Meeting Old Friends**

**Rating: K**

**Pairing: eventual Zuko x Ty Lee**

**Ah, my first attempt at a Zuko x Ty Lee fic. My first tastes of Avatar fanfics were always towards Toko, but after reading a few Ty Luko fics, it has captured my mind, and so I decided to write this. Took me forever to get it started, but it turned out being fun to write, just what I needed to get past my writers' block. This one is almost entirely Ty Lee's perspective, with Zuko only appearing towards the end. He will be the main POV in the next installments, so don't question why it is titled the way it is. That said, enjoy the Zuko x Ty Lee sweetness.

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Shuffling her feet slowly to her right, Ty Lee watches her opponent as she does the same. Mirror images shifting slowly to the side, looking for any kind of opening. The large training hall offers no sound, save for the subtle padding of feet on cool, hard wood and somewhat labored breathing.

An occasional whisper among the gathered warriors, but Ty Lee dared not turn her attention away from the girl in front of her. It being a sparring match, there was no threat of real danger, but she had something of a reputation to uphold. It seemed that they had been sparring all day, Ty Lee keeping her unbeaten record against the leader of the Kyoshi warriors.

Secretly, she always loved the frustrated look on the older girl's face when she went down, as though it were the worst humiliation one could withstand. But over the months she had been staying with the Kyoshi warriors, she had found it necessary to bemore diligent in her training. Suki was always getting better, and she knew it was only a matter of time before their roles were reversed.

Their bodies continued shifting slowly to the right, neither wanting to make the first mistake in this day's final contest. All around them, girls in identical green kimonos kneeled at attention, observing the two fighters for any tips to improve. It was held among all the girls of the island that the two most skilled fighters present were indeed Suki and Ty Lee, with the younger of the girls holding the advantage with her natural flexibility and agility.

It seemed that all the time as a circus performer had really paid off in a more practical way. Quickly, the young brunette cast her gaze out onto the crowd, her lustrous grey spheres resting on one spectator in particular: Sokka. The look of pure excitement on his face was priceless, his lips falling into one of his trademark goofy grins. For a moment it looked as though his eyes would simply bulge out of his head.

Ty Lee felt an involuntary grin cross her lips, her eyes nearly able to read the words in his head. It was always the same when he was around. Things always got interesting and crazy when he was involved, and he made his backing known whatever contest he might be observing.

Even though she had gotten over him after the war had ended, that didn't mean she couldn't show him what he was missing, right? Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a shadow at the edge of the large window, and she wondered what it had been. Just as it appeared, it had retreated almost in the same instant. Mentally shaking herself, she returned her focus to the young woman in front of her.

'_I miss the old fire nation clothes I used to wear,'_ she thought to herself, the dark greens of the kimono and breastplate a far cry from the pinks and reds she normally enjoyed. The tension between the two girls continued to increase, and the young brunette knew the older girl wanted to simply rush forward and take matters into her own hands.

Ty Lee occasionally wondered if Suki thought she would try and steal Sokka back, and wanted to prove herself in some way in front of the guy she liked. It wouldn't be the most ridiculous thing to do, she knew. The odd stream of sunlight glinted off of Suki's metal head dress, adding a brighter color on a spot on the floor.

Lightly balling her fists up, Ty Lee decided that enough was enough, darting suddenly towards the young leader of the group. Audible gasps echoed off of the walls, Sokka's voice definitely the loudest as he began to cheer for Suki with his usual enthusiasm. Somehow it always struck her right in the heart, to know that whatever she did, she would probably always be the outsider.

She wanted someone to cheer for her, to support her like Sokka did for Suki. Her eyes narrowed almost dangerously, focusing intently on the young girl in front of her. Suki had gotten much better, and she managed to deflect or avoid all of Ty Lee's blows. Her own natural agility allowed her to do the same, and it seemed they were in a deadlock.

"Come on, Ty Lee, you can do better than that," her eyes widened in surprise at the voice that echoed inside the room from outside, everyone inside turning their attention to the window. None saw anyone there, and turned then to each other, quizzical looks on their faces.

Ty Lee felt a warm smile cross her soft features, leaping quickly away from the older Kyoshi girl. Landing softly on her feet, she took a deep breath, smile still in place as she calmed herself down. The voice… it had seemed so familiar, so friendly. But there were few guys she knew who would know her in return. Most guys around her had only ever been interested in one thing, and many of them had never even bothered to learn her name.

One was Sokka, who would never root for her over his beloved Suki. Aang was busy with his duties as the Avatar, and living his 'happily ever after' with Katara, only popping in occasionally. He also would never root for one of his friends over another, opting for his standard neutrality and wish for peace. The only other that came to mind was Fire Lord Zuko, but he wouldn't be in a place like this, with his constant business regarding Fire Nation politics.

Gathering herself up once more, she rushed quickly towards her target, lunging with precision and quickness towards the older girl. Suki was taken aback with the suddenness of the attacks, and was barely able to deflect the "killing blow" from the young acrobat. Strikes seemed to come from all directions, Suki fervently defending just to keep herself upright.

Ty lee smirked a bit in excitement as an opening finally presented itself, landing a quick strike against the older girl's right arm, the appendage falling limply down to her side. The cheering that had gone up in the room died down, replaced with groans of disappointment.

Suki refused to give in, despite the losing situation, and tried to reactivate her own pressure point. The frantic nature of her own attempts left much to be desired, and while she tried to mimic the movements of the quicker girl, Ty Lee took advantage and hit the mirror spot on the other arm. As they both hung limply at Suki's side, the older brunette bowed her head, acknowledging defeat.

"Suki!" Sokka, as one would expect with his protective instincts, rushed to Suki's side, cradling her in his arms as though she were a helpless baby. The sight brought a twinge of jealousy to Ty Lee's chest, but kept the smile plastered on her face. Soon, the rest of the Kyoshi warriors had gathered around their leader, imitating Sokka's overprotective speech.

The young Fire nation girl wondered if they would be quite as caring if it were her on the ground, suffering yet another set back. The grin on her face turned sour, the negative feelings getting the better of her for a moment. But as she turned her grey eyes onto the window, the memory of the voice sounded in her head.

"Who was that…" she asked aloud, slowly making her way over towards the window. Resting her elbows on the window sill, she watched the leaves of the nearby trees sway in the breeze, thinking over who it could have been cheering her on.

"Ty Lee?" Turning her head slightly, she noticed Suki staring at her oddly, arms hanging lazily at her sides.

"Oh, sorry 'bout that," she excused, turning around and hitting the pressure points to fix the damage she had done. Suki flexed her arms a bit, squeezing and opening her hands to get the blood going again.

"Damn, I almost had you there," Suki added happily, earning a smile from the younger girl.

"Yeah, you are definitely getting better, Suki," Ty Lee was always happy that for the most part, the older girl didn't hold a grudge over what had happened in the war, and always at least made an effort to be friendly.

"Still not good enough it seems."

"Just give it some time," Ty Lee added, bowing respectfully to the girl who led the whole group. It was a quality that everyone in the Avatar's group seemed to hold, the ability to lead and inspire others. Something she wanted to know at least once.

After the training and sparring, the girls all gathered to listen to a little speech from the leader before being excused to relax for the remainder of the day. Bowing along with the rest of the girls, Ty Lee then made her way towards her small quarters.

Passing by the small lake, she decided to take a little break, flipping her legs over the side of the railing, dangling her feet carelessly in the air as she watched her reflection in the water. Being her usual bubbly self, all around her seemed bright and cheerful, as the Sun began its slow descent into the distant horizon.

Pinks, purples and reds filled the darkening sky, and the petite brunette felt her heart swell with happiness. After all the hardships during the war, peace had been restored, and all around was pretty much as ideal as it could get. The only thing that still bothered her was this place. As comfortable as it was, as warm as the people acted, it wasn't home, not really.

The thought of what she had given up coming here snuck into her mind, as it did on occasion. As much as she enjoyed the freedom, the ability to be her own person, she still missed the Fire nation.

"I wonder how everyone is doing," she whispered to herself, smiling at the thought of her family and friends. Grasping the railing, the girl lifted herself upward and back, gracefully flipping backwards onto the ground. Making her way towards the building that served as her home, she thought back to the sparring match, wondering still who had cheered her on.

As she opened the bright green door set against solid brown wood, she sighed in weariness. Suki had challenged her to combat at least 3 times that day, more often than usual. It became something of a running joke, that Suki might be the leader in name only, as she had yet to defeat Ty Lee in a match.

Closing the door as she entered, her eyes widened in surprise, as a sound echoed from inside her bedroom. A soft, barely audible sound of her bed creaking, like someone was resting upon it. Body tensing up in anticipation, she crept steadily towards her room, heart beating faster in her chest.

Swallowing the lump that had found residence in her throat, the young brunette slowly reached out for the door, quickly throwing it open. As she hurried into her room, she felt the anxiety turn to confusion, as there was no one there. Only her usually messy bed, the sheets strewn all across the mattress.

"That was weird, I could swear there was someone there," she tilted her head to the side, soft, chocolate colored braid swaying gently with the gesture. Lips curled into a frown, the girl merely shrugged the notion off, and opted to remove her heavy green kimono. The garb of the Kyoshi warriors was indeed well enough to fight in, but left much to be desired in the fashion department.

Quickly pulling the breastplate over her head, she let the braid flop carelessly against her back, the green kimono rustling just a little loose. Unfastening the green garment, she let it fall open, sighing in relief at the rush of cool air against her skin. Letting the covering fall from her shoulders, she tossed it onto the nearby dresser, on top of the now discarded piece of armor.

Catching sight of herself in the small mirror on the wall, she gave herself a look over. The red and white makeup on her face gave her a rather comical appearance, and she let a laugh escape her soft, pink lips. Realizing that she looked rather silly in such a state of undress, she reached over towards the dresser, pulling out a pair of her favorite red pants and soft pink shirt.

Letting memories of the old days in the Fire Nation pass through her mind once more, she happily made her way to the bathroom, anxious to rinse off the oddly colored makeup. The soft padding of her feet against the hardwood floor sounded gently in her ears, toes wiggling playfully as she picked them up.

Once inside the cozy bathroom, she placed the soft garments on the nearby countertop, resting her palms on the edge of the sink as she carefully looked herself over in the mirror. Pursing her lips, she smiled once more at the silliness of the makeup, offering the mirror a couple of amusing faces which made her look like some kind of ghost. Grey eyes flashing with curiosity, she wondered if this might be what the so-called 'Painted Lady' looked like.

Running the water from the faucet, she watched, almost as though in a trance, as it slipped down the drain. Casually putting her hands beneath the water, she cupped them together, gathering the clear fluid in the makeshift bowl. Closing her eyes, the young brunette splashed the water across her face, letting it run down her smooth skin. Some strands of brown hair stuck to her face with the water, as she began to scrub the makeup away.

The clear water joined with the discarded cosmetics, making a pink mixture as it drained down the sink. After a few moments, she looked herself over again in the mirror. Satisfied that as much of the makeup had been removed as possible, she turned the dials to close the flow of water before reaching out for the dark green forest towel.

Dabbing at the remaining water on her face, she sighed once more, her true face showing bright and cheerful in the mirror. She knew she should shower, with the intense workout that she had gone through, but didn't feel it necessary. Placing the towel back on its resting place upon the metallic rack, Ty Lee grabbed her pink shirt, slipping it over her head and down to cover her well developed figure.

Sliding the loose fitting red pants up along her strong, slender legs, she gave herself one final look in the mirror, before slipping out of the bathroom and into the opening that served as the living room. Old instincts kicked into gear, and her attention shifted quickly towards the front window.

There at the window stood a sleek figure, cloaked in black, a bag hanging idly across his back. Beneath the pack could be seen a scabbard with a pair of dao swords, clasped together as though one blade on his back. The figure seemed to be on the look out for something, and was almost… fidgety. It was amusing to see a shady figure acting so nervously, and Ty Lee almost laughed.

As though sensing her presence, the figure tensed up, his head turning slowly towards her. Her soft grey eyes widened in surprise, black clothing giving way to a blue and white mask, an eerie and mocking smile to match the protruding horns near the forehead. An audible gulp filled the room, and she could not tell if it was from her or the mysterious intruder.

"Ty Lee…?" her surprise increased as the voice filled her head, the same one from earlier that day. Memories shifted into place, and she remembered rumors from her time accompanying Azula in the Earth kingdom. Rumors of a sort of heroic spirit, mythical in his thieving tasks. Robbing from the rich noblemen across the nation, his name spreading far and wide, to the point that even the Fire nation had taken out a bounty on the spirit.

"Oh my god, the Blue Spirit," Ty Lee's naturally energetic, inquisitive nature kicked into gear, and she felt an odd giddiness. It was not every day that one meets a celebrity, after all, even if said celebrity is a notorious criminal.

"Shhh," the man beneath the mask whispered, bringing a black covered finger in front of his face to emphasize the point. With some confusion, the girl clasped a hand idly to her mouth, and for a moment she thought she heard an aggravated groan from the black clothed individual.

The tension filled the room, pressing down on both individuals. Just as Ty Lee thought she would burst, the figure seemed to calm down, slumping against the inside of the doorframe.

"So, what are you doing here?" she asked, squatting in a very unladylike position in front of him. Cupping her chin in her hands, she stared at the mysterious bandit, eyes alight with her curiosity and natural optimism. She had always wondered what kind of person the Blue Spirit was, and it seemed she was about to find out.

"Nice to see you, Ty Lee," the voice spoke again, triggering that same sense of familiarity. Her face must have showed her confusion, as the black shrouded man seemed to snicker at her confused expression.

"Geez, it's not nice to laugh at people you don't even know, and how do you know my name anyway?" she asked all at once, earning another chuckle from the bandit.

"Well, is it alright to laugh at people you do know then?" he retorted, hands slowly tugging on his mask. As the ceramic slipped up along his face, Ty lee's surprise increased yet again, a familiar scar coming into view. Once the mask was fully removed, the young man pulled the black cloth from his head, ruffling his shaggy hair as he set the mask down.

"Oh my gosh, Zuko?" As he nodded, the young brunette carelessly threw herself against him, nearly knocking the older boy onto his back. "What are you doing here?" she asked, almost tearing herself away from him. His body was just as muscular and lean as it had always looked, and she had to shake herself from that line of thinking.

"It's a long story, Ty Lee. How about we discuss it over some tea?"

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**I know, Maiko is the canonical pairing, and it will have to be addressed here. It will, just not in the first couple chapters. This will probably be a threeshot, so please be patient as the romance will be coming, since I am a sucker for it :P Many thanks to those of you deciding to give my writing a shot, and also remember this is my first non-anime fanfic (indeed, first fic for anything other than Gintama and One Piece). Next chapter probably up tomorrow or day after, but who knows. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2: Reacquaintance

**Chapter 2: Reacquaintance**

**Rating: K**

**Alright, here is chapter 2, only one day after chapter 1. Quickest turnaround on an update for me in a while, but this one is really fun to write. Ty Lee is a good bit different than the female characters I usually write, so it comes out really fun. Zuko is probably a little OOC in this one, but it is after the war, so he has mellowed out a lot compared to previous seasons. Beginnings of the romantic angle here, so enjoy Ty Luko fans.

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As he spoke, Zuko realized their somewhat awkward position, a blush creeping across his cheeks at the sight.

"Umm, Ty Lee…" he spoke, earning a curious glance from the younger girl. He knew she would not necessarily be embarrassed about it, but he was much more aware of personal boundaries and appearances. He just knew that if anyone saw them in such a position, then the talk would not take long to spread. The thoughts of scandal sent his head spinning, and he felt his face heat up as he felt her warm body resting against his own.

"What's wrong? You look flushed," she spoke sweetly, earning a groan of annoyance from the older boy.

"Could you get off of me now?" he asked quite directly, the brunette's eyes widening as their situation clicked into place. Turning her eyes downward, she smiled a sheepish smile, noticing the proximity of their bodies. She had to admit to herself, it wasn't entirely uncomfortable.

"Oh, sorry. It's just so exciting seeing a friend after so long, you know?" Despite himself, Zuko felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips, watching the pink and red clad girl bounce from atop his body in a single motion.

Pulling himself to his feet, the young Fire Lord dusted himself off, questioning where the bathroom was. Ty Lee sweetly pointed in the appropriate direction, Zuko nodding in appreciation before heading off.

Softly padding through the small living room, the young brunette clasped her hands together behind her back, her thoughts lingering on the position she and her long time friend had just been in.

"He's really warm…" she murmured to herself, a dreamy sort of smile crossing her face. She had had boyfriends, lots of them during her time in the Fire nation. But she had seldom been that close to a boy before. The young brunette wondered if all boys were so warm, and so well built. Mentally slapping herself, an amused giggle slipped through her soft lips.

'_Mai would kill me if she heard me thinking that out loud,'_ the girl mused to herself, dropping lazily onto the olive green sofa near the center of the room. Casting a look onto the furniture, she felt her lips purse into a look of curiosity, as she wondered to herself if the Earth kingdom was even familiar with other colors besides greens and browns. Turning her head towards the bathroom, she listened as the water began to run, and wondered if Zuko was showering.

Another self reprimand, and the brunette tried to shut the thoughts out of her head. With some difficulty, she managed to focus on the sound of the running water, eyes gently hooding closed with the steady sound. "Maybe I'm more tired than I thought," she spoke to herself, feeling her light body falling into a prone position on the couch's cushioning.

"At least the seat is comfy," she added, placing her hands beneath her head for some support.

While Ty Lee was struggling with a sort of physical exhaustion, Zuko was in the bathroom, feeling like banging his head against the mirror image of himself.

"Gah, what is wrong with me?" he asked the reflection, not sure if he expected some sort of answer or not. Hanging his head slightly, the young man felt silly for even partially hoping for any answer. Even if it was his own reflection, it was still a reflection.

With a heavy sigh, he allowed his entire body to slump downward a bit, forearms resting against the cool material of the sink. Pushing himself into an upright position, he placed his hands beneath the cool water pouring from the sink, relaxing a bit with the crispness of the liquid.

Cupping his hands, he splashed a bit of the water onto his face, watching the droplets fall down the face of his mirror image. Small rivers of clear water ran down his skin, dripping from his chin back into the clean, white basin beneath him.

The mirror doppelganger seemed to question him, dangerous golden eyes boring into his soul. Questions that were running through his own mind. Why was he here, in the bathroom of a girl he would hardly have called a friend? Why had he gotten so embarrassed with her body pressed against his? Any why did he feel so… at ease?

The feel of soft, warm curves lingered in his mind, swirling the sensations in his mind. Everything about Ty Lee seemed different than any girl he had grown up with, and her body seemed to further bear that out. He loved Mai, that much he knew for certain. He loved to hold her in his arms, to savor the feel of her porcelain skin.

But just from the brief contact he had experienced with Ty Lee, after she had nearly tackled him to the ground, he had gotten a different feeling. Warmth. Comfort. Caring. Unbridled happiness and optimism. As a smile crept on his face, he gruffly shook his head, splashing himself with another few handfuls of cold water.

He definitely shouldn't be thinking about Ty Lee in that way. Looking about the bathroom, he spotted a small green hand towel, and reached out for it. The cottony feel was good against his skin, as he dabbed off the remainders of water from his face. Setting the towel down on the smooth beige countertop, he ran his fingers quickly through his hair, enjoying the feel of having it down after keeping it in the formal topknot for so long.

'_Geez, why are girls so confusing?'_ he wondered, snickering a bit at his own confusion. Resolving to leave all thoughts of girls other than Mai from his mind, he turned the dial for the sink, listening to the life giving fluid drain loudly down the drain.

"Ty Lee, where do you-" he stopped, after taking only a few steps back into the living room. "Hey, I thought you were the one curious about things," he mused to himself, moving slowly towards the soft looking sofa.

As Ty Lee lay sleeping on the piece of green furniture, Zuko squatted next to her, brushing a stray strand of chocolate colored hair from her face. Leaning back on his haunches, the young man realized that he was actually staring at her, watching the subtle rise and fall of her chest as she slept.

"Get it together, Zuko," he scolded himself, as the girl mumbled something unintelligible in her sleep. Suppressing a light chuckle, he looked around the cozy living room. Seeing no blankets, he decided to do a little bit of exploring of her small, cozy little home. As usual for the Earth Kingdom, the place was decorated with lots of items sporting varying shades of green and brown, from nearly black back towards near blues.

He focused on the gentle rapping of his feet against the cool wooden floors, smiling as the comfort of the place filled him. It was the complete opposite of the cold, empty interiors of the Fire Nation palace, and he found his thoughts drifting to his uncle's teashop in Ba Sing Se. How comfortable he had become there. He had always assumed it was a simple relief from the seemingly endless wandering they had endured together, and nothing more.

Yet, as he padded down the small corridors of Ty Lee's home, he found himself wishing it were his instead. Finally he reached what he assumed to be Ty Lee's bedroom, and hesitatingly opened the door. Peering inside, he chuckled lightly at the sight of it. Contrary to the opinion he had always held of the young girl, she was rather messy, with clothes and bedding strewn carelessly about the floor.

"Geez, I always thought girls were supposed to be neat and tidy," he mused to himself, leaving the door open as he paced back towards the living room. Standing to the girl's side, he watched as she rolled over onto her side, the long braid falling just below her chin. With a sigh, Zuko leaned down, scooping up the light frame into his arms.

"You should be more careful, you know? Can't just be so relaxed," he scolded her lightly, so as not to wake her up. Adjusting her weight in his arms, he turned back towards her bedroom, trying to not think about the softness resting against his arms. Tried not to think about the light scents of cinnamon that seemed to rise from her, or the breezy breaths that were brushing against his neck.

After an agonizing short eternity, he finally reached the entryway to her cluttered bedroom, and just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the girl shifted in his grasp. It seemed that even in her sleep, she was not beyond teasing him, as her slender arms slung themselves around his neck, her head nuzzling into his shoulder.

It became just that much harder to keep his thoughts from the girl in his grasp, and so forced himself forward. The uncomfortable warmth crept across his cheeks, and he knew that he must have been quite the sight, the Fire Lord blushing over a sleeping girl.

Reaching the bed, he set her down carefully, hoping he could manage it without waking her somehow. But as he went to stand up, the girl seemed to be prepared for one final tease, and tugged playfully on his neck. If he were not as strong as he was, he likely would have tumbled into the bed with her, so he was thankful for all the training he had gone through.

"Girls are crazy," his old mantra passed through his lips, as he reached behind him, uncurling the girl's smooth arms from their perch on his neck. Resting them down against her stomach, Zuko gripped the nearby blanket, and pulled it over her peaceful looking form. The smile that he had seen a short time earlier remained in place, and he wondered idly what kind of dreams an endless optimist like Ty Lee experienced.

The thought of dreams was enough to cool the warmth in Zuko's face, and the smile that he had not realized was present disappeared, replaced with a more recognizable expression. One of discomfort, frustration, and sadness. Whatever she was dreaming, he knew it would be more pleasant than the ones he was usually blessed with.

"Good night, Ty Lee," he whispered as he closed the door on his way out of her room. As the door clicked shut, the girl's body turned onto her left side, a warm, content smile glued upon her soft features.

"Zuko…" her sleep laced voice would barely have registered to anyone in the room, murmurs from her warm, comforting slumber.

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"Mmmmm…." Ty Lee moaned loudly as she stretched her arms out above her head. Blinking a few times, the bubbly brunette looked curiously around her cozy room. Tilting her head to the side, she thought back to the night before. She remembered sitting on the couch, then falling over with heavy eyelids.

"Hmm, why was I sitting on the sofa?" she questioned herself, placing a finger on her chin as she thought. Soft grey eyes lit with memory as she remembered that Zuko had popped in on her. Cheeks flushed a light pink as she realized that she had fallen asleep on the sofa, and that Zuko must have carried her to bed.

"Omigod, Zuko!" she shouted, her voice a bit louder than she had intended. In a bout of unusual clumsiness, the girl tripped over the blanket that had covered her in her sleep. Rubbing her forehead in agony, she heard something completely unfamiliar to her, a sound that she was not sure was even possible.

"Wow, Ty Lee. That's some impressive acrobatic skills, I must say," Zuko stood in the doorway, dressed in the olive green attire he wore while serving as Iroh's waiter at his teashop. The usual grumpy look was gone, replaced with a genuine, amused smile as he laughed loudly at the brunette's morning mishap.

"Z-Zuko…" For the first time she could recall, the energetic young girl was unable to speak, lost for words. She had often wondered if Zuko was capable of laughing, or even smiling for that matter. All her doubts were washed away at the sight of him, and she remembered with clarity the dream she had experienced the night before. The light pink of her cheeks darkened just a bit, and she hoped that Zuko didn't notice.

"It's alright, just take your time. I made some tea, so we can have that talk if you would like," he responded easily, offering the girl his hand. Hesitantly reaching towards it, Ty Lee felt a sense of guilt rest in her throat. She shouldn't be having those kinds of thoughts about her best friend's boyfriend, right?

"T-thanks, Zuko," she answered hesitantly, feeling oddly shy around him. She failed to notice the quizzical look on his face as he watched her, soft grey eyes pointed down towards her feet.

"Well, if you'd like, you can get ready and we can have breakfast," he spoke, trying to cheer the girl up. Somehow it bothered him to see her not being her usual energetic self. The brunette nodded gently, and Zuko left the room, figuring she was just embarrassed over her fall, on top of her disheveled appearance from a night's sleep.

The image of the usually breezy, sure footed Ty Lee landing face first was something he knew he would keep in his memory for a while, and it brought a smile to his face. He made a note to tease her about it a bit once she was feeling better, and once he was settled in a bit more.

Closing his eyes as he entered the kitchen, he smiled just a bit wider at the scent of jasmine tea, a batch of which he had remembered to bring with him on his makeshift vacation. Although against his will at first, he had learned the fine art of tea making, and he found he enjoyed it… on the rare occasion he was not preoccupied with other thoughts.

The brew always seemed to come out poorly when he was frustrated or angry, which he realized glumly, was a great amount of the time. But when he was feeling peaceful and at ease, it seemed to come out much better.

"Mmm, that smells good. It looks like you've gotten better at making tea, Zuko," Ty Lee answered in her usual enjoyable tone of voice, earning her a relieved smile from Zuko as he turned towards her.

"Good morning. It'll be ready any minute, so just take a seat," A more energetic nod than before, and the onetime circus performer bounded over towards the comfortable sofa, her mind involuntarily drifting to the night before. Had she really fallen asleep on the couch, and had Zuko really carried her to bed? Both seemed odd, but so was Zuko just popping in for a visit.

"I'm not quite sure how it is, but here you go," he spoke after a few more minutes, passing the girl a ceramic cup filled with the fine smelling liquid. Closing her eyes, the young brunette inhaled the scent deeply, enjoying the sweet aroma.

"Thanks, Zuko. I guess all that time with Iroh really did you some good after all," she spoke, taking a light sip of the warm liquid. As it passed down her throat, she praised his improvement, while still mentioning that he was not nearly as good as Iroh.

"I just wish I had paid more attention when he was trying to teach me all that kind of stuff."

"You're not just talking about the tea making, right?" Ty Lee supplied inquisitively, Zuko's smile faltering just a bit into a look of recollection, and regret.

"No. I can't help but wonder what kind of person I might be, or how much sooner things might have happened if I hadn't been so focused on something I could never obtain in the first place," Zuko spoke, his voice dropping into a tone of anger, focused on himself. She knew how much he regretted all the bad decisions he had made, a feeling she had known herself during her time with Azula.

"It's alright, Zuko. Iroh's proud of you, and so is everyone else. You're doing a great job as Fire Lord, and you're single handedly changing how people view the Fire Nation. I bet your mom's proud of you, too," With that, their eyes met, and Ty Lee felt that earlier flush return to her cheeks, as her grey spheres became lost in his deep, honey colored eyes.

So much different than the cold, golden color of his father's or Azula's. A much warmer, kinder tone, one that could tell the story of his life of hardship to anyone who looked into them. The moment seemed to drag on forever, and yet ended with just one blink. Pulling herself back, the brunette took another sip of her drink, trying to calm the suddenly heavy beating of her heart.

"Thanks, Ty Lee," he spoke after what seemed a separate eternity, earning him a confused look.

"For what?" she asked, curious about his meaning.

"For everything, really. For not becoming just a clone of my sister, for being so supportive and nice. It means a lot to me," he answered genuinely, causing her cheeks to darken and heat up just that extra little bit more.

"O-oh, it's nothing," she excused, waving her hands frantically in front of her chest. Zuko's grin showed his enjoyment of her flustered attitude, though she had a feeling he would never know the cause of it. Putting on her usual chipper façade, she ignored the slight twinge of pain in her heart. Why was she so flustered over Zuko all of a sudden?

Thinking back on their time together, few were the times they were alone together. Usually, it was Mai and Azula accompanying her in Zuko's presence, the latter pushing Ty Lee to join in her mocking. Sometimes, she would wonder if Zuko would just snap and go into some kind of rage. The things Azula did, there is no way she could handle all of it and come out of it in any reasonable state of mind.

"So, how are things in the Kyoshi Warriors?" Zuko asked, setting his empty cup down on the table between her two sofas. Zuko had taken up position on the one opposite her, leaning forward just a bit, elbows resting on his knees.

"Ah, it's great. Everything is fun and exciting," she lied, not wanting to add any sort of burden onto Zuko's shoulders.

"You're not nearly the liar Azula is, Ty Lee. So, how are things really?" It wasn't fair that he was so good at reading people, and as she sipped the last of her tea, she solemnly set the cup down on the table, before falling back against the back of her sofa.

"It's alright. It's just-"

"-that no matter what, you will always be the outsider?" he finished her statement, earning a confused nod from the younger girl. Zuko simply smiled at her, before continuing.

"That same thing happened when I joined the Ava- Aang's group," apparently some habits are truly hard to break, she noted to herself with a little smile. "You just have to always try your best, and they'll open up to you. Besides, these girls do not have the best experiences with people from the Fire Nation," another statement from his personal experience.

"Yeah, I heard you burned down their village when you came here before, is it true?" The wince in his face showed that it was indeed true, and she wanted to press for further details, to know exactly what happened.

"Well, not the entire village. The Avatar saved the buildings from the fire, and he got away. Not one of my better days," he answered. It stung her just a bit to touch on some of the sensitive spots from his days of banishment, but then an idea struck her.

"I know, how about you apologize?" she suggested innocently, earning incredulous blinks from the older boy.

"Hahahaha!" He suddenly broke out into a dry sort of laugh, Ty Lee's face showing her curiosity over the action. "Ah, I'm sorry. It's just that there is so much more involved than that. I mean, what can I say? 'Sorry I burned down your village, can we be friends now?' It doesn't quite work that way," the familiar melancholy, self loathing tone of voice.

"It's alright Zuko. All the people here are really nice, and I'll go with you," she responded all at once, finding a new seat next to Zuko. Her hand holding his comfortingly, she looked into his eyes again.

"Heh. I wish I could be as optimistic as you." he replied evenly, slowly letting the smile creep back across his lips.

"You can. It just takes practice. When you feel sad, just smile, and everything will brighten up." As she spoke, she pulled at the corners of her lips, as though to illustrate the point to her older friend.

"It must be nice to live in La-La Land all the time," he answered sarcastically, rolling his eyes at her silly appearance. Despite his frustration, he thought inwardly that it might be a good idea to apologize to the people of Kyoshi Island.

"Aww, you're no fun, Zuko," she teased, pursing her lips in a mock pout.

"But, it's actually a good idea. Maybe tomorrow, once I'm settled in a bit," he continued, Ty Lee raising a brow in confusion. Then the realization hit her.

"Wait, you want to stay HERE!?" she yelled, earning a quick clasp of Zuko's hands over her lips.

"Shhh. Geez, it's not that big a deal, is it? I don't really know anyone else here."

"What about Sokka?" Ty Lee questioned, quieting down a bit. Zuko's face hardened in what she guessed must be annoyance.

"That guy snores like you wouldn't believe. I feel kinda bad for Suki," he responded, jabbing at the not present young man from the Water tribe.

"Hehehe. Ah, alright, I guess you can stay here," she answered after a moment of laughter between the two, feeling a little swell of happiness in her chest at the thought.

"So, why were you holding back in your spar yesterday?" Zuko asked after a comfortable moment of silence.

"W-what do you mean?" Ty Lee responded, hoping he would not press the matter.

"Come on, Ty Lee. We both know you can do better than that. It's not fair for your opponent if you try and let them win, you know?"

"Let them win? I would never do something like that," she spoke, feeling uneasy under Zuko's intense gaze. Shifting her sight to the side, she tried to think of something to say, some excuse. She knew that Zuko was a skilled fighter, so he could tell if someone was holding back, even if he was only watching.

"You would if you're trying to make friends, or trying not to hurt anyone," Bullseye. How could he be so good at getting to the heart of the matter when it concerned someone else?

"W-well, it's nothing like that," she lied again, fidgeting a bit in front of the older boy.

"Look, everyone knows you're a nice girl, Ty Lee, but if you hold back, even in a spar, you could get hurt," His voice filled with caring, a worry over the safety for one of the few people he considered a friend.

"Zuko, I…" she tried to answer, lost in the warmth spreading within her chest.

"I guess we both need to make some apologies tomorrow," Zuko smirked in satisfaction, leaning against the opposing end of the sofa. The energetic brunette tried to think her way out of it, but knew better. She had gotten Zuko to accept his own difficulty, but he had almost immediately flipped the tables on her.

"Ah, fine. Geez, how did you get so good at talking? I remember when you would always get flustered around other people," she prodded, leaning against the end opposite Zuko. It was a comfortable, companionable silence that filled the room.

"It takes lots of practice. And I had a good teacher," he added after a moment, his love for his uncle evident in his voice.

"Yeah, Iroh is a great guy." A gentle nod from Zuko, neither person recognizing their position, bodies effectively side by side. With a hint of apprehension, Ty Lee asked the same question from the night before. "So, Zuko, what brings you all the way out here?"

"Hmm…" he seemed as though he were thinking the matter over, stroking his chin in thought.

"Aww, come on Zuko, you can tell me," she added, batting her eyelashes towards him, catching an amused smile as he seemed to come to a decision.

"Alright, tell you what. I'll tell you if you can beat me in a sparring match," he spoke confidently, watching the confused expression on Ty Lee's face. He could tell she was apprehensive about the idea, for various reasons. He knew how dangerous her chi blocking techniques could be, likewise for his fire bending.

"No bending either, sound good?" he asked, a second idea forming in his head. "Let's just think of it as a game of tag," he added.

"Tag?"

"Yep. All it will take is a solid hit on the core to win. Best 3 out of 5 matches to win. Sound fair?" Ty Lee took the opportunity to think about it. Casting her gaze back towards Zuko, she smirked confidently at him.

"Deal. But, what if you win?" she asked, curious about his own wager in the contest.

"If I win, it'll just be something small. You just have to do a second favor for me," he answered, the pair sharing a smile at the wager. Zuko couldn't explain it very clearly, but he enjoyed being in the brunette's company. He felt more at ease, as though the world wasn't such a mess.

"Deal then, Zuko. So, when is it?" she asked honestly, leaning forward a bit, closing the distance between them slightly. Zuko mirrored the gesture, leaving their faces only inches apart as he answered.

"Right now," he said, reaching out and tapping her toes before back flipping off of the sofa. Settling on his feet, he watched as the younger girl's face hardened into a look of determination, and Zuko prepared for her first attack.

As the messy locks of brown hair waved in front of his eyes, he narrowed his golden spheres at the girl, smiling playfully as she pulled herself to her feet, staring right at him. '_This'll be fun,'_ he thought to himself as he dropped into a fighting stance.

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**Again, Zuko is probably a bit OOC here, but hopefuly not too much. Next chapter will have Zuko and Ty Lee in a sparring match, which should be fun. Not too intense, but not really light either. This pair is so good together in my opinion, so that makes the story more fun to write. Hopefully you guys enjoy it as well. Look forward to another chapter hopefully tomorrow, as this one is turning out really fun to write. Not sure how long it will be over all, since I was originally planning a 3-shot, but it will assuredly go longer than that. Keep your eyes glued for more development of the Zuko x Ty Lee romance. **


	3. Chapter 3: Natural Instincts

**Chapter 03: Natural Instincts**

**Rating: K**

**Wow, 3 chapters in 3 days. I am on fire at churning these out. Have to keep going while I have the ideas running in my head. This one is almost entirely the spar between Zuko and Ty Lee, so forgive me if it seems like it drags on. Never been confident in my ability with action pieces, so I wanted to work on it a bit more here. Comments always appreciated, good or bad. Enjoy the Zuko x Ty Lee awesomeness.

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Eye focused on the peppy brunette in front of him, Zuko watched as the girl narrowed her eyes in return, slowly sliding her feet towards him. Mirroring her gesture, he moved his own feet backwards, keeping a steady distance between him and the younger girl. Watching her for any sign of movement, he stayed on the balls of his feet, ready to move as quickly as he was able.

After a tense moment, he got his first sign of movement, and noticed the girl's legs tense, sending her limber body towards him. He barely had the time to react, pivoting on his right foot and leaping away from her first strike, barely avoiding a touch to his left bicep.

'_I almost forgot how fast she is,'_ he scolded himself, making another leap towards her front door. Backing nearly directly up to the heavy wooden construct, he held one hand behind his back, reaching clumsily for the door's knob. The other hand held defensively in front of him, he watched the girl close the distance between them, her own fists held at chest level.

"Geez, this isn't going to be very much fun if you just trap yourself like that," she teased, smiling as she listened to him fumble with the knob. Her head cocked a bit to the side as his right foot scooted a bit further from his other foot, towards his previously discarded footwear.

"Well, if you feel that way, then I guess I'm sorry to disappoint you," he responded evenly, smirking as he clicked the door open, flipping his shoes into his grasp simultaneously. Ty Lee was left a bit surprised, seeing him coordinate such movements at one instant.

"Hey, wait," she replied, registering the fact that he had turned and made a dash outside. Stopping just for an instant at the front door, she slipped her own light red shoed onto her feet, before giving chase. Rushing into the large path in the city's center, she stopped right in the middle, scanning the streets for any sign of Zuko.

Carefully, she turned towards the training hall atop the large hill, grey eyes running from building to building. It was so unlike Zuko, to hide and look for advantages. His predictability in battle was one of the reasons she figured he was never able to beat Azula, as he would always just charge in head on without thinking.

"Looking for someone, Ty Lee?" his voice rang in her ears from behind her, her eyes widening in surprise as she turned towards the voice. Leaping from the roof of her small home, Zuko came straight at her, landing a short distance away. Her mind became frantic, and she found it hard to move as quickly as she needed.

Trying to back away, she found his speed had seemingly increased, as a solid blow landed directly against her abdomen, just above her stomach. Reeling back a bit, the brunette placed her hands cautiously over the spot, a surprised look on her face as she watched Zuko back away.

"That's 1-0, so you've got some catching up to do," he teased, smiling as he placed his hands in a defensive position in front of him. Straightening herself upright, she sunk into a similar position, fists held in front of her chest.

"Guess I do," she responded, smiling in a competitive manner, mimicking the look on Zuko's face. Digging her foot into the ground, she shot back towards him as quickly as she could manage, pushing him back a bit but failing to land a blow on him.

Each blow thrown towards him was deflected or evaded, his body swaying easily from side to side as dictated. Ty Lee was curious as to when Zuko had gotten so quick, so smooth in his movements. For just a moment, she saw his guard drop, his chest open to an attack. Sensing her opportunity, she ducked beneath his next blow, coming up just in front of him.

Just as her fist was to hit its mark, her momentum stopped, leaving her floored. His right arm had reached over, grabbing the girl's wrist as he moved to the side. A light hearted laugh from Zuko echoed pleasantly in her ears as another blow, less powerful than the earlier one landed on her body. The pressure holding her hand in place disappeared, and the young Fire Lord backed away again, hands placed up in defense once more.

"That's 2-0, Ty Lee. You have to get more serious if you want to win, you know? Like I said, if you always take it so easy, you're going to get hurt," A taunt, but without the malice she knew would accompany a barb from Azula. Zuko was looking out for her, trying to help her. The competitive smile returned, her cheeks warming as she sucked in a solid, calming breath.

"Alright, thanks Zuko," she responded easily, watching as Zuko nodded gently, a smile crossing his lips. Closing her fingers into slightly loosened fists, she lunged carefully at Zuko once again, pushing him slowly down the large incline. Zuko's confident smirk had gone, but she could see the intensity on his face.

He might be helping her out, but she knew he wanted to win as well. Returning the sly grin, she pulled her leg upward, thrusting a kick towards the young man's stomach. The expert at combat that Zuko had become, he pushed the kick downward with minimal effort, but Ty Lee smirked as his hands came down near his stomach.

A sudden surge forward, and Ty Lee pressed a solid blow on Zuko's right arm, right where the chakra point was. Expecting to see the limb hang limply at his side, the girl slacked a bit, watching for any sign of frustration from the fiery young man. Her eyes widened once more in surprise as his supposedly useless limb thrust quickly towards her head.

She had to thank the heavens for her quick reflexes, as she managed to backflip away, landing a few feet away. Sliding back a bit further, she listened to the grating of sandy dirt beneath her feet, body stiffening in surprise.

"I bet you thought my arm would be useless after that, right?" Zuko questioned the young girl, bringing her attention to him as he spoke. Bringing his left hand to his biceps, he pointed to the spot where she had landed the blow, and her confusion got the better of her.

"How did you block it?" she questioned, a mix of frustration and genuine curiosity on her flowery voice.

"Well, I don't know much about chakra points, but I do know that to render them unusable, you have to hit them really precisely," he explained, Ty Lee nodding now and then, to acknowledge his statements.

"So, to render it useless, one doesn't have to evade the blow completely, just shift their positioning enough to change the impact point," As if to illustrate his point, he seemingly only flexed his arm, dropping it slightly downward. "If you do that, then the pressure points are almost useless. Especially when going against someone as skilled with the technique as yourself," he finished, stretching a bit as Ty Lee processed what he had just said.

"That means that I'm not really a good fighter, right?" she questioned, her eyes showing her pleading manner. Zuko seemed to notice the look, his face dropping a bit as he caught sight of her eyes. Gone was the brightness, the cheer. She seemed almost, lost. Uncertain. Feelings he knew well.

"Hmm, I wouldn't say that. It's just that your punches are lighter compared to other warriors, since you have always relied on the pressure points before to incapacitate your opponent. Generally, this will work alright on benders, since they use somewhat rigid stances and postures, but a skilled fighter would notice that weakness, so you should be more careful."

Ty Lee was dumb founded. She certainly was not going to bring up the fact that Suki had seemingly not noticed that, a fact that would both demean the older girl, and possibly give Zuko a big head. Swallowing the lump in her throat that had formed, she tried to think about matters more seriously. It was the first time that her pressure point had been rendered useless by any means other than a specific bending, and it shook her.

"Ty Lee, it's alright. You can do it if you try. You still have those freakish reflexes, don't you?" Zuko's voice sounded soothingly in her ear. Opening her eyes again, she nearly blushed at their proximity, the older boy's hand resting reassuringly on her shoulder. Taking in the sight, all around them seemed to disappear, leaving the two of them as the only ones on the whole island.

"Well, now it's 2-1, Zuko," she shot after a moment, both their gazes drifting towards his midsection. Ty Lee smirked at the amused reaction on Zuko's face, another shared smile between them as she took her turn to leap backwards, falling into her usual positioning.

"Well, I guess that's what I get for not following my own advice," he joked, pushing his opened palms out away from his chest. Bending his knees slightly, he lowered himself a bit closer to the ground, figuring it was his turn to take the offensive.

Pushing forward, Zuko threw a punch towards the girl's mid section, followed by his other hand as she deflected it. An elbow from her left arm opened his midsection to attack, one he managed to deflect by raising his knee into her arm. Both combatants reeled back a bit, chests heaving in exhaustion.

"You really have gotten better, Zuko," Ty Lee complimented, wide grin on her face. Fighting against Zuko had lit her natural competitiveness, and she enjoyed the sparring match.

"Thanks, but you're the one who has improved a lot since I last saw you," Zuko returned, near mirror feelings brewing in his body. He had always loved a good dust up, but the knowledge that there was no threat of death hanging over the loser made it more enjoyable, more friendly.

"What do you mean, you aren't even using bending and you're keeping up with me. You were never this fast before."

"Oh, it's just the kind of thing you build up when you thief. Or did you forget already?"

"Ah, yeah. That's right," she spoke, again a little louder than she had meant. In truth, she had forgotten about Zuko's dual identity. She guessed that speed and maneuverability were necessary for a well known bandit.

"Hey, wait, does that mean you were holding back all those times you fought Aang or Azula?" she questioned, curiosity and a bit of pride on her voice.

"Maybe subconsciously," he answered honestly, hands falling slowly from their place in front of his chest. Smirking to herself, Ty Lee decided to take advantage of his next weakness, lunging towards his midsection once again. This time he was ready, pushing down on her arm with his right hand as he leapt backwards.

"Well played, Ty Lee. Always go for your opponent's opening," he complimented her again, throwing another solid blow towards her own midsection. A pulling back, followed by a strong swipe of her leg deflected the attack. Stumbling forward just a bit offered the opening Ty Lee needed, her other foot landing swiftly on his stomach.

"Yay, now it's 2-2, Zuko," she was feeling her usual chipper self, and wondered it was because of a renewed sense of self worth being able to fight without relying on pressure points, or maybe because of who she was sparring with.

"So it would seem. Last point decides the winner then, are you ready?" Zuko questioned, eyes holding his inner fire, his competitive spirit, and Ty Lee knew that this would be the hardest point to get.

"Sure thing, Zuko," she replied, feeling that same fire within her as she stared Zuko down. Light shuffling of their feet against sandy dirt, and they simultaneously rushed forward. Blows evaded, or deflected, grunts of effort filling the previously empty streets.

As their bodies shifted in such close proximity, something Ty Lee had mentioned once to Sokka came to mind, and it made her smile with amusement. Zuko, catching the amused grin, wondered what was going through her mind.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, it's just that when we go like this, it's like we're dancing," she answered, earning a light blush from Zuko, his messy hair swaying angrily as he shifted his head backwards. Close calls, near misses for both continued to build, each keeping the other from getting the final point.

Gradually their dance like fight drew closer to the pillar at the base of the hill, supporting the statue of former Avatar Kyoshi. Zuko being pushed a bit more than Ty Lee, he was first to notice the more firm footing, trying to take advantage as quickly as he could. Tensing his arm a bit, he threw a solid blow towards the young girl, expecting it to at least throw her off balance.

He was disappointed as she pushed the fist downward, before flipping gracefully over his head, a pair of somersaults before landing easily on her feet. It was Zuko's turn to swallow a lump in his throat, as a thought that he had never held before come to mind.

'_Ty Lee is really beautiful…'_ If anyone had asked, he would have denied it. But as she sailed so easily through the air, his eyes had remained locked on her, his body nearly splitting in half as he tried to lean backward. His golden eyes remained locked on her even as she stood upright, his body turning slowly towards her.

"Hmm, what's wrong Zuko?" she asked with concern, his mouth hanging slightly open. A visible shaking of his head and he quickly pulled himself together. Shaking the thoughts from his mind, he tried to focus on the matter at hand. It wasn't that he minded giving her the information she wanted, but he wanted to win.

"Oh, sorry, just got distracted for a moment," he answered, half truthfully. Zuko figured that the answer would satisfy the younger girl, and he would not have to answer any further questions.

"Oh, Zuko, you're so funny," she answered, that infectiously happy tone back in her voice. It brought another smile to his face to hear the usual, chipper tone on her voice. For so long, he had thought it was annoying, the way she could just smile and laugh at any random thing. But now, as he watched her laughing with mirth, he found it quite the opposite of annoying.

"Well, glad I can be of some amusement," he answered jokingly, tightening his position once more. Backing up nearly to the post in the center of the large clearing, Zuko became aware that a crowd had gathered around them. The way Ty Lee looked around made it clear that she had noticed as well.

"Wow, I guess we made a lot of noise," she answered innocently, and only slightly apologetically.

"I guess we did. You can always forfeit if you're worried about it," he teased, feeling a mocking smirk come across his lips. He felt the slightly forced movements of the deep scar tissue on his left eye rise, but still the smile crept up. For an instant, Ty Lee pouted at him, before dropping back into her own fighting stance.

"No way, Zuko. You're going down," An almost childish taunt escaping her lips, she pushed forward again, a light smacking sound of skin against skin as they continued their dangerous dance. Small clouds of dust kicking up at their feet, bodies beginning to perspire noticeably, and yet the two found themselves lost in the moment.

Zuko and Ty Lee both were having too much fun to stop quite then, at least not until a winner had been determined. Both felt their clothing begin to stick to their bodies, neither sure just how long they had been at it. They seemed evenly matched, and each knew a mistake would likely determine a winner.

Gradually the swaying of bodies shifted back up the large hill, push and pull heading towards the large hall atop the hill. Murmurs could be heard among the growing crowd, which now included most of the other Kyoshi warriors.

"Who's that guy?"

"He looks pretty cute, right?"

"Doesn't he look kinda familiar, though?"

"Now that you mention it, he kinds looks like-"

"Zuko!?" Suki's voice echoed loudly over the others, as Zuko broke off from the intricate grabs Ty Lee was attempting on him. Bowling right past the leader of the group, Zuko rushed into the large open training hall, followed closely by his "pursuer".

The crowd gathered around the great hall, an occasional shout of a bet echoing within the crowd. Never one to miss a spectacle, Sokka had been the last one in the village to roll out of bed, finding two of his friends fighting.

"Suki, what's going on here?" he asked in his usually confused tone, watching the pair settle into another staring contest.

"I don't know, but I've never seen Ty Lee like that. She seems like she's having fun." Suki muttered in disbelief, watching the amount of exertion that had apparently been expended between the two of them. Seldom were the times that Suki had brought such effort from the newest member of their group, and she had never seen the look of enjoyment on the younger girl's face.

"That's true, but I've seen that look on hothead's face lots of times," Sokka answered flippantly, pointing directly to the young Fire Lord. A look of near blood lust, with none of the edge. The look of one in intense competition, of refusing to give up.

"Wow, he's so intense. I hope he doesn't hurt her," Suki spoke softly, her voice barely reaching the ears of her boyfriend. Sokka simply nodded his head, anxious to see what kind of conclusion would be reached.

Silence passed over the crowd, as the pair continued to gaze at each other, trying to intimidate their opponent. The looks on both their faces left little doubt that neither would be intimidated.

"Well, I'm… almost out… of energy…" Ty Lee spoke first, panting harshly from their battle.

"Really? Well… I've got… plenty of energy… left…" Zuko bluffed, his golden eyes opening a bit from their narrowed slits. His body felt heavy, as though he must have been at it for hours, and he figured Ty Lee was in a similar position.

"You just better keep your end of the deal when I win," the brunette spoke, grinning from ear to ear.

"Only if you keep yours when I win," Zuko responded, mirroring the grin of the younger girl.

"Deal? What the hell does that mean?" Sokka asked to no one in particular, clamping his mouth shut as the pair closed in once again. All eyes were riveted to the spectacle, as their bodies continued to clash and separate, near blurs of motion as each tried to land the deciding blow.

"Go Ty Lee!" One of the Kyoshi girls shouted loudly, joined short after by the voices of the others, echoing her sentiment. They were proud of the display that their newest friend was putting forth, and wanted to see her win.

But the combatants were merely focused on one another, lost in their dangerous dance. Both could feel their bodies struggling to keep up with their minds, arms and legs becoming heavier by the blow.

Catching his opportunity after nearly an extra hour, Zuko deflected the younger girl's arm, sweeping his leg through her own. The girl's eyes widened in surprise as she became airborne, legs swinging upward as her body fell downward. The young Fire Lord's strong hands grasped her arm, harshly pushing her down towards the ground.

An audible thump echoed in the room, and the gathered crowd fell silent, as Zuko positioned himself atop the girl's waist, closing his knees tightly around her legs. Ty Lee, as well as every other girl present, blushed brightly at the positioning, some finding themselves oddly envious of the young girl.

A triumphant grin on his face, Zuko leaned down towards the brunette, blowing her soft bangs from her face.

"I win," he responded, whispering softly into her ear, his free hand pressing down on her stomach. A groan of frustration from the younger girl passed through her lips as Zuko extricated himself from atop the girl, collapsing in a heap next to her.

"Wow, that was fun. Have you always been this good?" she asked, turning her head towards her friend.

"No, it took me a long time to calm down enough. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that, 'circus freak'," he answered teasingly, Ty Lee blinking in surprise. The look on Zuko's face showed no anger, no malice at all, and that he was using the term as she had referred to it.

"Thanks, Zuko," she responded, the two sharing a laugh at the shared joke. The onlookers looked at each other in confusion, wondering how one could take an insult in such good humor. As the crowd parted, Zuko and Ty Lee remained in their positions, bodies too tired and sore to move. Only two remained, walking over towards their two friends.

"So, what are you doing here, Zuko?" Suki asked, arms crossed sternly across her chest. Looking up at the brunette, Zuko simply smiled, turning his gaze back towards his old friend.

"Sorry, Suki, but it'll have to wait."

An incredulous stutter from Suki at essentially being told off, echoed by both Sokka and Ty Lee. Sensing the hesitance and anger from the other two, Zuko pulled himself into a sitting position, resting an arm on his knee as he smiled teasingly.

"Ty Lee has to do me another favor first," he answered, Ty Lee blushing a bit as Suki and Sokka looked to one another.

"So you did all this for a favor? It must be some favor," Sokka leered, verbally nudging Zuko in the arm as he spoke. Ty Lee's blush deepened at the tone of his words, wondering herself what Zuko would ask of her.

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**Oh, that Zuko. Pinning poor Ty Lee like that. Things are certainly going to start heating up, as Zuko makes his request of the sweet girl. Complicated feelings keep growing, and the next few will be almost entirely romantic based fluff, my favorite kind of writing. Eventually there will be at least two more action scenes (Sokka vs. Zuko and Suki vs. Ty Lee again) but they won't be nearly as long as this one was. Again, any comments on how to improve are appreciated. Look forward to the next chapter, hopefully tomorrow. **

**Side note: I can't believe Arsenal has gone down 2-0 in the first quarter of an hour. F#$!  
**


	4. Chapter 4: Explanations

**Chapter 04: Explanation**

**Rating: K**

**Alright, 4 chapters in 4 days. Hopefully the quality isn't hurting too badly with this. This chapter feels a little disjointed to me, so let me know if that is the sense you all get as well. More subdued than the previous chapter, and a little more development of their relationship towards romantic ending. Comments appreciated, and enjoy the story.

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**

Pulling himself slowly to his feet, Zuko worked the Water tribe boy's words through his head, wondering what he was insinuating. With a sudden realization, his face lit up like the fire that could be summoned from his fingertips, scandalized by the simple notion.

"Wait, it's not like that! I would never, with her," A mental slap as he heard his own words, winces of pain on the faces of Suki and Sokka, and he imagined on Ty Lee's as well.

"Ouch. That was cold, man," Sokka teased, shaking his head in mock disappointment.

"I know. You didn't have to say it like that, Zuko," Suki scolded in addition, Zuko pinching the bridge of his nose. He seemed to always know the exact wrong thing to say in situations like this.

"Look, that's not what I meant. I just mean that I didn't come here for that, and in case you forgot, I'm still with Mai," he reasoned, feeling a strange lack of conviction in his own voice. The others he could see had a similar look on their face, seemingly picking up on his tone of voice as well.

"I'm sorry, Ty Lee. I didn't mean to say it quite that way," he apologized genuinely, turning his head slightly to watch the girl pull herself into a sitting position.

"Oh, it's okay Zuko. I know what you meant," More unconvincing speech from the young brunette, sending a wince of pain through Zuko's chest. The look on Ty Lee's face was not so different from the look of sorrow on his uncle's face in the catacombs beneath Ba Sing Se. But it was not disappointment in actions, but seemingly a more deep seated hurt.

"Suki, I'll explain why I'm here in a little while, but first, I need Ty Lee to show me around," Zuko continued his explanation, nearly chuckling as Suki and Sokka's eyes nearly bugged out of their heads.

"Wait, you can't mean you are going to be staying _HERE_, can you?" Suki nearly shouted, watching as Zuko clasped his right fist against his left palm, bowing in respect to the lead figure of the village.

"Only if it is alright with you guys, that is. As I said, I will explain my reasons to you shortly, but first I would like Ty Lee to keep her end of the deal," Zuko smiled warmly as his honey colored eyes again drifted to the peppy brunette.

Suki looked to Sokka for some sort of advice on the matter, nearly groaning audibly as he simply shrugged his shoulders. Turning her gaze then towards Ty Lee, she had half expected to see a look of hesitance, of hurt, but was surprised to see none. The grey eyed beauty looked to the older girl imploringly, a sort of wounded puppy look on her face.

"Fine, you can stay, as long as you give me a good explanation for your purpose here, and if you don't cause any trouble," she responded finally, sighing in near abject defeat. Ty Lee made a sound of unbridled happiness, clasping her hands together as she thanked the girl who served as her leader.

"Thank you, Suki," Zuko replied, bowing towards the leader once again, she mirroring the gesture. Turning on foot towards his old friend, Zuko reached a hand down towards her, watching with some amusement as she blinked in apprehension at his gesture.

"Geez, it's not like I'm going to bite," he joked, smiling as she finally reached out for the outstretched hand, clasping her fingers tightly around his hand. With a sudden pull, Zuko found a lump residing in his throat as he pulled too hard, the girl's soft, warm frame pressing tightly against his. Ty Lee noticed the position as well, blushing a bit as she pulled back a bit, gaze diverted towards the ground.

"O-kay," Sokka intervened, eyes shifting from one nervous teen to the other, smirking at the awkward moment between the two.

"Remember, Zuko," Suki cautioned, poking a finger strongly in the center of his chest, "no trouble here, alright?"

"I promise," he responded, a sense of déjà vu passing over him. Memories of his first night as part of Aang's group, and a stern talking to from the water bending girl. More a threat than a lecture per se, he could still feel the goosebumps on the back of his neck at the thought. The icy tone of her voice had reminded him far too much of Azula, something he would never dare mention to the girl.

"Alright then, come on Zuko. I'll show you around town," Ty Lee broke in quickly, a sense of excitement replacing her embarrassment as she grasped his hand. Tugging him eagerly towards the exit of the training hall, she paid no attention to the surprised looks of Suki and Sokka, or of Zuko himself.

"Okay, Ty Lee, but you don't have to drag me," he said as they exited the large structure, leaving a curious pair of onlookers behind.

"Are you sure about this, Suki? I thought you hated Zuko," Sokka stated after the other two had disappeared from sight. Stroking his chin, he rested his dark blue eyes on the girl who he had grown nearly dependent on.

"Well, I couldn't really say no with Ty Lee looking like that," she responded in exasperation, turning her emerald eyes to her future husband. "So, why did you want him to stay, Sokka?" Suki asked knowingly, watching the boy's face fall into a catlike leer.

"Well, I heard that Zuko used to be pretty good with swords, and I wanted to let him know who the number one is," Sokka proclaimed proudly, thumping his chest as he ran the situation through his mind.

"And what happens if you challenge him and he beats you?" Suki sighed, nudging Sokka in the gut with her elbow. The dark skinned boy looked quite surprised, as though the thought had not occurred to him before.

"You think I could lose?" he asked, only a half sarcastic hint of hurt at the suggestion.

"Well, he is bigger than you," an indisputable fact, sending a pang of reality through the teen's mind. "And, did you not see the way he and Ty Lee were going at it? I wonder if anyone could handle either of them," Suki continued, referring more to her situation with Ty Lee than Sokka's desire to beat Zuko.

"Don't worry, Suki, you're always going to be the best," he responded, wrapping his arms around his girl. The auburn haired girl returned the gesture, not entirely convinced of the matter, but content to enjoy Sokka's attempts at comfort.

"Thanks, Sokka. Do you suppose Zuko will be alright on the island?" Tense silence passed between the two, near identical thoughts passing through their minds.

'_It'll be fine… won't it?'_

"So, Zuko, where to first?" Ty Lee asked, hands clasped neatly behind her back as she walked to Zuko's right. The young Fire Lord seemed curious about the entire place, his eyes scanning from side to side.

"Well, how about getting cleaned up first?" he suggested, sniffing himself before making an exaggeratedly disgusted look. Ty Lee gave herself a try, and finding herself far from pleasant, decided it was a good idea.

"Sounds good to me. I assume you remembered to bring some extra clothes?"

"Of course I did."

"Wow, Zuko, you're so responsible," Ty Lee sing songed, causing the older teen to smile despite himself.

"It's just the obvious thing to do, isn't it?"

"I don't know. I always forget things like that," she responded, giggling a bit at her occasional tendencies towards ditziness. Zuko simply gazed at her, watching as she slowly walked down the road.

'_Why can't I seem to take my eyes off her since I got here?'_ he questioned himself, actively trying to divert his gaze from the bouncy girl. She had a personality so unlike any girl he had ever met, a direct contrast to his girlfriend, Mai. Where Mai seemed to hold a near contempt and disdain for most things in life, Ty Lee was a moving bundle of positive energy, finding the positives in nearly any situation.

"I'm sorry," he spoke, pulling himself to a stop in front of the entrance to Ty Lee's wooden home. The young girl turned to him as she opened the door, surprised by the suddenness of his apology.

"Umm, it's okay?" she answered hesitantly, wondering what he was apologizing for.

"I'm sorry I hurt your feelings, Ty Lee. You've never been anything but nice to me, and I was just mean, so I'm sorry," For a moment, a sense of silence passed between the two, Zuko looking directly down at the ground, Ty Lee's crisp grey eyes falling directly on the young man.

"Zuko…" she murmured, taking a step closer to her friend. "It's okay, Zuko. I know you never meant it, and if anyone should apologize, it's me," she responded, smiling sheepishly as she lightly scratched her chin.

"What do you have to apologize for?" he asked, warm golden eyes falling on the girl's lithe form.

"For all those times I was teasing you along with Azula. It wasn't very nice, but I couldn't stand up to Azula. She was always the boss, but that's no excuse," her voice sunk just a bit, the peppiness that he had begun to enjoy disappearing. Another moment of silence between them, neither unsure exactly what to say.

"It's alright, Ty Lee. I know first hand how controlling and manipulative Azula can be." he replied, wincing internally at all the times he had unknowingly been made to dance in the palm of his wicked sister.

"I think she was just confused, lost in life. But she didn't have Iroh there to guide her along, like you did," Ty Lee responded, trying her best to cheer up, but finding it somewhat difficult. She didn't want to be angry with Azula, or anyone for that matter. It was so frustrating, not knowing how she could help her other long time friend.

"It's not your fault, Ty Lee," Zuko's soothing voice hung pleasantly on her ears, bringing a smile to her face. "Azula had the misfortune of being raised directly by our father, and when the time came, she made her choices. If anyone is to blame, it is me, her family," Zuko continued, resting his hands reassuringly on the girl's slender shoulders.

Ty Lee felt an odd surge pass through her at his touch, a nearly indescribable warmth, a sense of security, of compassion. It made her happy that there were others worrying about her friend, even one who had been made to suffer so much at her hands as Zuko had.

"Wow, you're so mature, Zuko," she replied truthfully, giggling at his naïve reaction as he turned away from her.

"I-I'm not that mature," he huffed, dropping his hands from their perch on her shoulders.

"So, you want to bathe here or go down to the baths?" the girl questioned, changing the subject to the reason for their appearance at her home. He seemed to ponder the question for a bit, before deciding that it would be easier if they did it there. A gentle nod of the head, and the girl bounded into the home, Zuko following closely behind.

Closing the door gently behind him, the young Fire Lord made his way towards the olive green sofa, where his pack rested against the back side. Grabbing the pack, he took a seat on the comfortable cushioning, rummaging through it for his spare change of clothes.

"I'll be out soon, so just hang on Zuko," Ty Lee spoke breezily, bursting from her room towards the bathroom in a quick burst. Barely a word of acceptance passed Zuko's lips before the bathroom door was closed, and he could hear the steady sounds of water filling a large basin.

Leaning back against the backing of the sofa, he focused his attention on the varying shades of red of the second set of clothes he had brought with him, reminders of home. Trying not to imagine the slender figure in the next room dipping into the hot water, Zuko attempted to force his thoughts to other matters.

Would his reasons for visiting be accepted by the Kyoshi warriors' leader? Why had Sokka seemingly accepted it with no argument? And why was he so interested in spending more time with Ty Lee? A rough growl sounded from his throat, and he clutched his messy black hair tightly.

"God, it's all so confusing. Why can't things be simple?" he asked to no one in particular, not paying attention to his surroundings.

"Things are not always simple, but they can become simple if you let them," Ty Lee's flowery voice startled him from his contemplations, her face upside down in front of his own. Nearly choking on his own breath, he watched as she leapt onto the sofa next to him, staring intently at his worried expression.

"God, Ty Lee, don't do that," he managed between frustrated coughs, letting the surprise wear off as he attempted to begin breathing normally again.

"Sorry, Zuko, but you weren't paying attention. I'm all done, so it's all yours," she responded, her normally warm smile bringing a light pink to Zuko's hardened features. Muttering some words of thanks, Zuko quickly made his way to the bathroom, resting against the inside of the door as he nearly slammed it shut.

"Come on, Zuko, no reason to get so flustered," he told himself, slapping his cheeks as he gradually got back to normal. Making sure the door was locked, more out of habit than any fear of intrusion, Zuko began to disrobe, enjoying the cool sensation as his skin came into contact with the air.

Tossing the still sweaty shirt to one side, he set his new garments to another, looking himself in the mirror as he turned the dial for the water to start. The soothing, steady flow of water calmed him as he watched his mirror image mimicking his movements. Making a silly face, the young royal felt a chuckle escape his lips, quickly settling in a happy smile.

"This place really isn't so bad," he spoke to his mirrored self, running his fingers appraisingly against his chin. Feeling the little bits of stubble growing, he reached beneath the small pile of red cloth, producing a small straight razor. Tilting his head upward, he carefully ran the sharpened edge along his skin, the scraping sound grating uncomfortably on his ears.

After an uncomfortable few moments, he felt his face once more, and felt a sense of increased comfort at losing the bits of bristly hair. Setting the razor on the edge of the sink, he turned towards the bath, turning the dial to shut off the steady flow. Looking over the basin of water, Zuko set his hand into the clear fluid, to test the temperature.

"Damn, I forgot to adjust the temperature," he complained, mentally scolding himself for his lack of attention. Closing his eyes, Zuko produced a flame through his hand, letting the ball of warmth dance on his palm for a moment. Opening his eyes, they then widened at the sight in front of him. The momentary lapse in control caused the flame to sputter and then disappear.

"W-what was that? It was… green?" he looked questioningly at his hands, wondering what it meant. Focusing again, he produced another flame in his hand. This time it was the more familiar orangish-red tone, and as he sent the flame softly against the cool water, he could not help but wonder what had caused the flame to look green at that instant.

"I'm sure it was nothing," he excused the situation, smirking to himself as he finished disrobing before slipping into the now comfortably warm water. Sighing deeply, he let the heat seep into his body, billows of steam wafting carelessly up towards the ceiling.

After a few minute of soaking in the hot water, Zuko decided that he was reasonably clean, and stepped out of the large basin. Grabbing the nearest towel, he ran it roughly through his hair, feeling a few droplets spraying against his bare neck. Reversing the thick material, he dabbed at his body, letting the moisture accumulate on the towel.

Once he was dry enough, he stepped back towards the pile of red cloth, first slipping on a pair of crimson pants. The fancy gold trim he usually favored was now replaced with a dark blue, and as he clasped the hold in the front, he reached for his shirt.

A long sleeve silk shirt slipped easily over his strong frame, the smooth material sending shivers along his skin with its sensitivity from the heat. Finally as he finished the buttons on the shirt, he grabbed the last garment, a crimson sleeveless shirt that was close to a vest, its tone matching that of his pants.

Sliding his arms through the openings in the shirt, he straightened the outfit a bit as he looked in the mirror. He did not necessarily fuss over his appearance, but he did enjoy looking presentable. Satisfied with his look, he wheeled to his left, and exited the bathroom.

"Ty Lee, what should I do with the other clothes?" he asked, coming to a stop as he realized the girl was staring right at him, her grey eyes wide, her lithe body not moving.

"Ty Lee?" he asked again, watching her body slowly come back to life.

"Oh, what is it Zuko?" she responded, a bit more flustered than he would have expected.

"I was just wondering what I should do with these," he said, indicating towards the pile of various shades of green in his arms.

"Oh, just toss 'em anywhere," she muttered, eyes still fastened to Zuko's body. The light material held close to his well muscled frame, giving the young girl a good look at his toned arms.

"God, how can you be so careless with your clothes," he muttered, letting the clothing drop onto the floor next to him. "Do you even do your own laundry?" he asked, raising his good brow in accusation.

"Well, sometimes," she returned weakly, rubbing the back of her head as she giggled nonchalantly.

"I thought so. I guess I'll have to do it."

"You can do laundry, Zuko?!" the girl sounded more surprised than Zuko was comfortable with, and it ignited his usual indignant side.

"Well, I was traveling all around the world, so of course I had to do some laundry once in a while," he responded, referring to the fact that Ty Lee had gotten to travel throughout the Earth Kingdom with all the benefits of Fire Nation royalty behind her.

"Good point," she admitted, apologizing for jumping to conclusions.

"So, how about we get something to eat," Zuko suggested, rubbing his stomach as it began to growl. Hearing the odd sound, Ty Lee giggled out loud, watching Zuko's embarrassed face. Her giggling soon died down, as her own stomach made its desire for sustenance known as well.

"Sounds like a good idea, and I can do a little showing around at the same time," she added helpfully, earning an approving nod from the older boy.

"So, where can someone get something to eat around here?" he asked, closing the door behind him as they left. Looking around the small village, he got the impression that a high quality restaurant would not be seen anywhere, but decided that anything that filled his stomach would be acceptable.

"Well, there is this one place, but I'm not sure it's up to your standards, Zuko," Ty Lee spoke, just a trace of hesitancy.

"That'll be fine. After all, I am the guest here, and I assume it's so out of the way for a reason," he mused, earning an approving nod from the younger girl.

"Alright, then it's over this way," she added, tugging his arm roughly.

"Ty Lee, I already told you I know how to follow directions!" he shouted, watching the girl as she completely ignored his words. As they walked towards the small restaurant, Zuko felt his gaze shifting from person to person in town, familiar reactions on the faces of each.

"Zuko, the people in town seem to be staring at you," Ty Lee pointed out, concern evident on her voice as she turned to gaze at him.

"I figured it would be that way. It's alright though, Ty Lee, I'm used to it," he responded sadly, the amused grin he had worn only moments earlier replaced with a forlorn, depressed look.

"Used to it?" she asked, feeling a twinge of pain in her chest at the look on Zuko's face.

"It's only natural, since all the evil things the Fire Nation did to the world, and the mistakes I made in the past on my own," The way he said it made Ty Lee want to simply encircle her arms around him, to warm him with a big hug. But she remembered that he was always against such things, and decided it was not the right time to push him.

"I'm sure they just need to get to know you, Zuko. You're different from your father, and Azula," the brunette supplied, closing the short distance between them. Looking into his warm, golden eyes she smiled at him, the happiness shining in her own grey spheres.

"Hmph, if only everyone were as forgiving and positive as you, Ty Lee," Zuko chuckled, patting her shoulder as he walked past her, making his way towards the small restaurant. Ty Lee stood in place for a moment, watching the retreating form of the young Fire Lord. In all her time, she had never had any kind of real responsibility, while Zuko, who was only 2 years her senior, had the fate of an entire nation on his shoulders.

"He needs a vacation," she said to herself, smiling in thought as she bounded towards the restaurant after Zuko.

Over a light lunch of simple stew with bread, and some tea which Zuko admitted was surprisingly good, the pair simply chatted, catching up on what each other had been up to. Ty Lee was most certainly not envious of the position of Fire Lord, given the amount of politicking which seemed to be involved in smoothing over relations with the other nations. Zuko was intrigued by the peaceful life that the Kyoshi island seemed to provide, a feeling he found himself wishing he could experience.

"Sounds like things here are pretty nice," Zuko spoke as they walked up the hill towards the training hall. He turned his head slightly to the side, catching Ty Lee's gaze with his own. "If only I could be sure that things would go well if I were to step down, I would love to live here," His admission took the young girl quite by surprise.

"I thought you always wanted to be Fire Lord, Zuko. Why would you want to give it up after all this time?" she asked, curious as to the reason for his seemingly sudden change in demeanor.

"Well, when you're a kid it's all about being royalty. You always wanted to be a princess yourself, right?" he teased, watching her eyes flash with the memory.

"Of course. Princesses are so lovely, and they get their prince on a white horse, big balls and they're loved by the people," Ty Lee spoke rather dreamily, imagining herself in a flowing white gown, attending a huge royal style wedding. At the happy expression on her face, Zuko didn't have the heart to remind her that Azula was a princess, and that his father had once been a so-called "prince".

"But when you get to be at the very top, it's all so stressful, even if you have the backing of the Avatar to hold you up. I think I got lucky I had to get there the long way, but it's not the situation to raise a kid in," As he spoke, his lips crooked up at one corner, a dry smirk showing his sadness at the prospect of raising a child in the Fire Nation court.

"I'm sure you and Mai will make great parents though, Zuko." Ty Lee tried her best to sound reassuring, finding an odd thought sticking in her mind. Somehow, the thought of Zuko and Mai together held a tint of bitterness, a small speck of envy. She had always pushed Zuko and Mai to be together, and had been overjoyed when they had finally gotten together.

So then, why now did the thought of them together bother her at all?

"Ty Lee?" Zuko's questioning brought her from her short daydream, as the face of her "prince charming" had come into focus. Shaking the thought from her mind, she turned quickly to Zuko.

"Ah, sorry, just spaced out for a second there," she giggled playfully, mockingly knocking herself on the head as Zuko groaned in annoyance.

"Well, we're here. I guess you're going to get your wish, since I have to explain to Suki anyway, so it looks like the spar was pointless," he joked, smiling as she did.

"I wouldn't say it was pointless. It was a lot of fun, Zuko," she added, before following Zuko into the large room. Their footsteps echoed loudly off of the empty room's walls, filling the void with the audible clack of soles on wood. Suki and Sokka quickly appeared from a side room, both in a rather disheveled state of dress.

"Wow, looks like someone's been busy," Ty Lee teased, watching as Suki began to blush faintly, Sokka seemingly undisturbed by the state of their garb.

"And you told me not to get into trouble, look at you two? In public no less," Zuko joined in, teasing the pair slightly.

"Don't lecture me, Zuko. You're the one who pinned poor Ty Lee like that in front fo everyone," Suki shot back, earning a wince of embarrassment from Zuko and Ty Lee.

"U-umm, t-that was, uh," Zuko fumbled for the right words. Frustrated with his lack of explanation, he simply apologized for his rude behavior, falling into a sitting position. Gradually the other three followed suit, Suki and Ty Lee curious for Zuko's reasons for arriving.

"So, what brings the great Fire Lord Zuko to our humble little island?" Suki asked with teasing emphasis of his important position.

"Well, as you know I have been… busy recently," An understatement. Everyone in the three remaining tribes was aware that next to the Avatar, the Fire Lord was the busiest person in the world. Traveling from place to place, holding conferences and other forms of negotiation between the various tribes.

Reparations, return of conquered lands, downsizing of their military, and all factors in between. Some wondered whether Zuko could handle such responsibilities at his young age, but he had proven himself a capable negotiator and leader, earning the respect of the various peoples in relatively short order.

"So I have heard. I heard that recently you made a trip to Omashu for a conference with the leaders of the Earth Kingdom. But I still don't get what brings you here," Suki responded, feeling a sense of sympathy for the burden placed on the young man.

"Well, after some long thought, I came to a decision."

"And, what is that decision?" Sokka asked, interjecting into the conversation. Zuko straightened himself out a bit, staring intently at the leader of the Kyoshi warriors.

"I need a vacation," he answered easily, to the surprise of all present.

* * *

**Ah, now we get an explanation directly from Zuko on why he is there. Being the Fire Lord after a 100 Year's War must be difficult, especially for someone as young as Zuko. Can't imagine the stress. The color of Zuko's fire does have some explanation, and anyone who can guess it must be on the same wavelength as me. Won't explain it here, but it will come into play later to be sure. Next chapter we get some more fluff between Zuko and Ty Lee, and a concrete romantic development. Hopefully you all continue to enjoy this story, as it is really fun to write. These two just play so well together, to me.**


	5. Chapter 5: Closer

**Chapter 05: Closer**

**Rating: K+**

**Chapter 5 in the fifth day. On a roll, and this story just keeps taking up my mind. Sorry if Zuko seems really OOC here, but remember, it is post series, so he has mellowed out a lot. Easy to do when things in life actually start going right. The first solid romantic development between the two, so look forward to more of that in future. Opinions always welcome, and that said, enjoy the chapter.

* * *

**

"A… vacation?" Suki blinked a few times, working the words through her mind. Looking in near disbelief to Sokka, she watched as he seemed to have a similar reaction. From the limited experience she had in dealing with Zuko, the young Kyoshi leader had known him to be serious almost to a fault, almost never really relaxing before.

She had heard Sokka occasionally remark and wonder whether it was indeed possible for the then Prince of the Fire Nation to relax. He always seemed on edge, always alert to some unseen threat to the safety of himself and the others. It was always assumed that it was simply a remnant of growing up in such a hostile environment, combined with his harsh life of banishment from his homeland.

"Yes. Normally, I would never ask such a thing, but life as the leader of the Fire Nation is more demanding than even I had anticipated," he continued his explanation, resting his elbows on his thighs as he leaned forward.

"Well, yeah, but why a vacation?" Sokka asked, idly stroking his chin as he felt his previous opinions of the Fire Lord shifting ever so slightly.

"My uncle always told me that I took things too seriously, but I never listened to him before. After thinking about it for a long time, I realized that I wouldn't be any use to anyone if I burn myself out. So, I discussed things with my most loyal advisor, and he agreed that a vacation would benefit all involved." As he finished, his body slumped forward further, and each teen present could see just how true his words were.

"That's understandable, Zuko, but why here?" Suki asked honestly, catching a look of fatigue on the older boy's features. His usual fiery demeanor seemed almost beaten and worn down. She knew first hand how harsh any sort of political life could be, any sort of responsibility.

"Yeah, don't you Fire Nation royals have a special island for that kind of thing?" Sokka added as helpfully as he could through his own curiosity. Ty Lee and Zuko shared a gentle smile as they remembered the last time they had visited Ember Island along with Mai and Azula, memories of the unforgettable night passing through their minds.

"Well, if you wanted a break from Fire Nation duties, wouldn't you want to visit somewhere outside of the Fire Nation?" Zuko asked somewhat sarcastically, causing the eldest teen to smirk as Sokka nearly slapped his forehead in realization.

"That does make a lot of sense. So, then why here?" Suki asked once again, her dark green eyes falling on the pink-clad brunette to Zuko's right. Sensing that the older boy's reasons might have something to do with the bouncy girl, she felt a smile pulling at the corners of her lips. A nudge from Sokka showed that he had a similar thought, as the pair turned their attention back to the young Fire Lord.

Ty Lee as well was curious for his reasons regarding his destination, and found her body leaning slightly towards the fire bender. Her usual warm smile etched on her soft features, she felt an odd sense of excitement beating within her.

"Well," Zuko began, each of the other teens present nodding their heads, "it was the most logical place to go," he concluded, leaning his body backwards a bit, resting on the palms of his hands.

"What makes this place so logical?" Suki asked, her curiosity piqued.

"I figured it would be good to at least go somewhere with someone I knew." he went on, raising a brow at the odd grins that Suki and Sokka were passing between themselves and aiming at Ty Lee.

"Ah, I see," Sokka said, that teasing tone to his voice.

"Aww, come on Sokka, don't give him such a hard time," Suki mock scolded her boyfriend, her teasing grin shifting to one of admiration and happiness. "I think it's sweet, that he came just to visit Ty Lee."

At this point, Zuko shifted his gaze to the bouncy acrobat, noticing the embarrassed look on the sweet brunette's face. The information clicking in his mind, he figured he should clarify his statement.

"Wait, I already told you it's not like that," he spoke, sighing deeply as he did.

"Really? Then why here? I mean, you have friends all over the place, right?" Sokka questioned, a nod of agreement from the two ladies among the group.

"What the heck, is this an interrogation?" Zuko asked defensively, feeling as though he were some kind of prisoner.

"No, nothing like that. We're just curious about your thought processes on this, Zuko. I mean, in the past you've always been really focused and determined, that it's hard to understand why you would suddenly want a vacation." The water tribe boy explained, to another set of accompanying nods.

"And you think I came all the way out here to, what, try and hook up with my girlfriend's best friend?" the older teen asked, watching the looks of surprise on the other three's faces.

"Well, when you put it like that…"

"… it does sound pretty weird," Sokka and Suki looked to one another, then to Ty Lee. As many problems as Zuko had in his life, and as many mistakes as he had made, they figured he wouldn't make such a silly decision.

"Sorry, it's just hard to imagine," At the dark skinned boy's apology, Zuko exhaled a deep breath before turning his golden gaze on the two members of the Avatar's group.

"It's alright. I guess it would be pretty confusing, since it kind of confuses me too," Zuko replied, running his fingers through his long messy locks of hair.

"So then why here, Zuko?" Ty Lee asked, making herself known for the first time in an uncharacteristically long while. Catching sight of her deep grey eyes, Zuko felt flustered for an instant, seeing what he thought might be a defiant sort of hurt.

"Well, to be honest, it was the closest place to where I was," he answered, 3 sets of eyes narrowing in disbelief at his statement. To illustrate his point, Zuko placed his finger on the floor in front of him. The three accompanying him looked at his hand, watching for some kind of movement.

"Let's say just for arguments sake that I was here," he said, referring to the point where his fingertip rested. The others nodded, as he continued. "And let's say that Ba Sing Se is here," he said, moving his finger from its position to a spot a few inches past his left knee. Another set of nods, as his thinking came into view.

"Now, let's say that Kyoshi Island is here," he said, moving the finger from the spot to the side of his knee back to the center, then to a spot a short distance inside his opposite knee. The short demonstration left no doubt that his thinking was impeccable, and he had indeed planned it out somewhat.

"I guess that settles that," Suki suggested, shrugging her shoulders as she spoke.

Accepting his reasoning, Ty Lee couldn't help but feel a bit of disappointment. It hadn't been her he was coming to visit, but only the closest place with a person he knew. The feeling was strange. Why would Zuko have come all that way to see her, anyway? As her brows knitted together in some frustration, a second question fluttered in her chest.

'_Why does it… hurt that he didn't come for me?'_ she asked herself, vaguely watching as the talk passed back and forth between Zuko and Suki, seemingly finalizing the details of his visit. Soon enough her gaze rested on the Fire Lord, eyes trained on his lean form, watching the occasional hand gesture as he spoke.

"So, where are you planning to stay?" the auburn haired girl asked, her question bringing Ty Lee back to the present.

"Well, I'm sure you guys have an inn or something, right?" Zuko asked, thinking back to the limited time he had had to explore the village. Suki and Sokka looked questioningly at one another, unsure how to explain the situation to Zuko.

"Well, there is one, but…" Suki began, a sense of negativity on her voice.

"Let's just say that Fire Lord Zuko is not the most popular guy on the island," Sokka continued, Zuko groaning with the memory of his foolish actions.

"He can stay with me," Ty Lee blurted out suddenly, before clasping her mouth closed as the others stared at her.

"What?!" Sokka and Suki asked in unison, the mere possibilities of the two Fire Nation teens living under one roof eliciting all manner of scandalous thoughts.

"I-I mean, h-he can't stay in town, or there could be trouble, right?" the young brunette began, waving her hands in front of her in a flustered manner. "And Zuko said himself that he is still seeing Mai, right? So there's no chance of _that_ happening, right Zuko?" she finished, turning her attention back to Zuko.

As she noticed the slight nod of his head, the brunette felt that sense of pain echoing fresh in her chest. It became harder to keep her face in its usual smile, not feeling like explaining the feeling she was experiencing to any present.

"Hmm. Well, I suppose we can let you stay then, Zuko," Suki responded, holding an open palm in front of her before Zuko could express his gratitude. "But only on one condition."

"Of course, what is it?" he asked, a sense of relief washing over him. The happiness in his face lifted Ty Lee's mood a bit more, and she passed the feeling in her chest as just some sort of homesickness, a sense of missing her old friends.

"As long as you're here, you are not Fire Lord Zuko. You are just another citizen of this island, and you have to act accordingly." As Suki finished delivering her "ultimatum", Zuko chuckled a bit, earning a scornful glare from the auburn haired young woman. Holding his own hand out in defense, he settled himself down.

"Sorry. It's just that that's what I had in mind. To get away fully from the title of Fire Lord if only for a little while," as he spoke, he shifted his gaze once more to the young girl to his side, smiling warmly to her.

"Oh my god!" Sokka suddenly shouted, shooting to his feet as he pointed accusingly towards Zuko. Confused expressions on the faces of Ty Lee and Zuko, and one of embarrassment from Suki.

"What is it?" Zuko asked, confused and distinctly annoyed by the sudden outburst.

"You guys better be careful. There's no way this guy is possibly the real Zuko. He's an impostor, a clone… an alien!" the tanned boy shouted, Ty Lee and Zuko staring in disbelief at one another.

"Sokka, shut up for a second," Suki cautioned, calming the boy as he sat down. Sokka maintained his suspicious glare, drawing a further sense of anger from the fire bender.

"Sorry about that, Sokka has a tendency to jump to completely idiotic conclusions sometimes," Suki apologized for her man, shooting him a withering look as she spoke. Even Zuko felt himself wince a bit from the look that Sokka got.

"Oh, it's alright, I guess?"

"But it is kind of unusual for you to be so easygoing, Zuko. Rumors all say you're super serious and so tense, but you seem oddly calm now," Shifting his position a bit, Zuko thought about it for a moment, realizing that he did feel more at peace.

"You're right. I feel more calm than I ever have before, more clear. Maybe it's because I am finally making the decisions for myself," he mused, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, whatever the reason, if it's no problem with Ty Lee, then I don't see any reason you can't stay," Suki reasoned, finally accepting Zuko's gracious words of appreciation. "Just don't cause any trouble, alright?" she cautioned, more in jest than seriousness, earning a nod from the young Fire Lord.

"Thanks again, Suki," he spoke honestly, following Ty Lee out of the large hall.

"Zuko?" the leader of the Kyoshi warriors asked just as he was exiting the building. She watched as he turned slightly to face her, a brow raised in worry that she may have changed her mind. "Any idea how long this 'vacation' of yours will last?" she asked, smiling at Zuko's relieved posture.

"I don't know. About a week I suppose," he answered, turning and walking to catch up to Ty Lee at Suki's subtle nod of her head.

Letting his arms hang loosely at his side, Zuko let his eyes shift upwards, watching the sun as it slowly disappeared into the distant horizon. The mix of reds, oranges and the onset of purples and blues warmed his heart, and he felt a smile tug at his face, something he was growing too accustomed to. He was grateful for his seeming turn of good luck in recent time, seemingly making up for all the bad luck he had gone through in his earlier years.

Contrary to his situation before, he had much to be thankful for. A solid life, with him as the leader of a great nation. Loyal friends, who he knew would stand by him whatever troubles might be held in the future. The love of a great woman, who had made a decision to support him even when the punishment would be severe. He wondered on occasion what might have happened if that decision had not been made, if Mai had continued loyally following Azula.

Shaking his head, he let that particular line of thinking slip from his mind. Whatever the reasons, Mai had made her decision, and things had managed to work out somehow in the end. He did feel a sadness, imagining what must have gone through his sister's mind as she had witnessed the sight, but told himself what he always did. 'She made her choices, and nobody can apologize for them but her.'

"Zuko?" Blinking a few times, he noticed the girl standing oddly close to him, leaning up on her toes to look him directly in the eye. Recoiling a bit, the teen felt his chest tighten just a bit, a sense of surprise.

"Ty Lee, I told you not to do that, didn't I?" he asked gruffly, nearly growling as the girl simply giggled at him.

"Oh, Zuko, that's what you get for spacing out," she responded in her usual easy manner, flipping carelessly onto her hands as she had a tendency to do. Tilting his head to the side, he watched the steady movements of her hands, planting firmly on the inclined ground.

"Isn't that hard?" he asked, curious as to how she managed to balance on her hands given the environment.

"Is what hard?" she responded innocently, craning her neck a bit to look at him, watching his expression from her upside down vantage point. Feeling the brown braid swaying with each movement, the acrobat tried to focus on the teen in "front" of her.

"You know, walking downhill on your hands. Isn't it hard to get a good balance?"

"Not really. As long as you keep moving, it's pretty easy."

"Easy for you, maybe," Zuko replied, staring down at the upside down face of his friend.

"I'm sure you could do it if you tried, Zuko. You have a good sense of balance, I think, you just don't make use of it," she answered in turn, smiling as she tried to encourage the teen. She watched as he seemed to squat in front of her, his head level with her belly.

"Well, there's a big problem with standing on your hands, Ty Lee," Zuko answered seriously, holding a stern finger in front of his face.

"Really? What's that?" she asked earnestly, brows coming together as she watched his finger.

"Well, it's easy for someone to do… this." as he spoke he reached up, pushing firmly on her upright legs at the shins. With the sudden force against her unbalanced form, the girl fell roughly on her butt, a loud groan of pain sounding just above Zuko's amused chuckle.

"Oww, what was that for, Zuko?" she complained, rubbing her back as she pulled into a sitting position.

"Sorry, I just couldn't resist," he apologized, chuckling as he did. The girl's frustrated expression triggered his newly discovered sense of humor, finding the look completely amusing.

"Couldn't resist, huh?" she asked, a tone of challenge on her voice as she turned to face the young man. Zuko only had time to blink before the girl had lunged at him, pinning him squarely to the ground. "Guess you couldn't resist that either, huh? Now you've been pinned by a girl, Zuko," she grinned triumphantly as she looked down at his frustrated expression.

"So you think you have the upper hand, huh?" he asked teasingly, wriggling his fingers playfully as he moved his hands slowly towards the girl's exposed midriff. Ty Lee's eyes widened as she scrambled to extricate herself from atop the older boy.

"Oh gosh, Zuko, I didn't mean anything by, bwaaahahahah!" she interrupted her own sentence with a loud laugh, her body shaking as Zuko's fingertips ran easily against her smooth stomach, lightly hitting her most ticklish spots.

"First rule of battle is to always know your opponent," he responded casually, smirking evilly as he continued his onslaught. The girl wriggling on top of him pleaded for him to stop, finding Fire Lord Zuko to be a quite unrelenting opponent. Laughs gradually became desperate gasps for breath before Zuko finally relinquished his hold on the young girl.

"Zuko, no fair," she complained, cheeks burning from her fit of laughter. Wiping a stray tear from her eyes, she looked down at Zuko, losing herself momentarily in his deep gold eyes. A soft thump sounded in her chest as she gazed at his face, the burning in her cheeks growing warmer as she felt a blush creeping on.

The normally composed young man seemed to be having a similar problem, his honey colored eyes focused only on the girl still perched lightly atop his muscular frame. Reaching up slowly, he placed a palm gently on the girl's still round cheek, cupping the soft flesh carefully.

Pulling himself into a sitting position, he felt the girl shift her own position in his lap, clear silver eyes holding firmly their hold on his golden spheres. He stared longingly at the wisps of chocolate colored hair hanging gently around her face, watching the subtle parting of the girl's full, pink lips.

"Ty Lee…" he whispered gently, his body acting on its own as his lips drew dangerously closer to hers, the young girl's hands pressing lightly against his chest.

"Zuko… we can't…" she excused unconvincingly, shivering as she felt his breath brushing against her moist lips. The heart beating in her chest felt as though it would simply leap from her chest, and she wondered if he could hear it. Thinking became difficult, any rational thought turning to a blur of static in their minds.

"You're right. We… can't…" he added, his thumb rubbing lightly against her soft cheek. Feeling the young girl lean gently into his touch, Zuko felt his own mind doubting his words, traitorous thoughts passing through his mind. His mind filled with the light scent of her body, the traces of cinnamon that he knew he would always remember.

The anticipation hung between the pair, eyes closing as lips brushed ever so slightly against lips. A short surge of electricity, a soft, nearly inaudible sigh from the energetic acrobat hanging in Zuko's ears.

"Ty Lee, what's going on?" the two pulled apart quickly, Ty Lee nearly jumping out of her skin as she leapt off of Zuko's lap. Similarly pulling himself together, Zuko looked away from Ty Lee, as she bounded off towards one of her fellow Kyoshi Warriors.

"Oh, it's uh, I fell and Zuko caught me?" she asked more than said, earning a confused look from the black haired girl in front of her. Ty Lee could tell that she was flushed, and as she looked back to where Zuko had been standing, she felt an odd drop in her stomach as she noticed no one there.

"Wow, I've never seen you fall before. Must have been distracted by something," the girl joked, earning a shy giggle from the brunette.

"Something like that," she answered vaguely, turning her gaze in the direction of the beach at the base of the tall hill. "So, what can I do for you?" she asked, bringing the raven haired girl's attention back to her.

"Oh, well, we all heard that Zuko is going to be staying here for a while, so we thought it would be fun to have a party," she answered, grabbing Ty Lee's hands in excitement.

"A party? How come?" the brunette answered as cheerfully as she could manage.

"Well, some of the girls still think of him as a bad guy, so we figured we should figure out a way for him to get to know us, and vise versa," As the teen spoke, Ty Lee thought about the last time she had seen Zuko at a 'party' and how poorly it had turned out.

"To be honest, Zuko doesn't do well in social situations," she responded, pressing a slender finger to her chin in thought.

"Really? Wouldn't that make it kind of hard to be Fire Lord?"

"He's good at going with the flow, and he's really good at reading people, so I guess he's a natural born leader, but he's really bad at generally interacting with people," Ty Lee explained, a smile crossing her face at imagining Zuko at the mercy of a crowd of girls. He had always done poorly with just herself, Azula and Mai.

"Is it really that funny?" the girl asked Ty Lee, catching the amused smirk on her face.

"Well, it can be pretty fun to tease him sometimes," Ty Lee whispered in the darker haired girl's ear, the pair chuckling in amusement.

"So, do you think you could get him to come?"

"I don't know. I think he wants to be kind of low key around here, not be treated like the Fire Lord, you know?"

"Oh. I guess that makes sense," the girl responded, a little despondent. The people of Kyoshi island often looked for any excuse to throw a party, and the visiting of the Fire Lord would definitely prove such an occasion.

"Sorry," Ty Lee apologized, thinking of a way to console the girl. "Oh, but maybe it would be alright once he is about to leave," she supplied, watching her friend's face nearly light up.

"Of course. I just hope he doesn't do anything to ruin the slack that Suki told us to give him while he's here."

"Don't worry about that. Zuko is a good guy, he's nothing like his mean dad or his sister," Ty Lee easily complimented Zuko, making some further small talk with the young girl. After a few minutes, the sun had disappeared and the raven haired girl had excused herself, waving to Ty Lee as she headed home.

With a heavy sigh, the young brunette turned towards her own home, wondering idly if Zuko had gone back there. Taking a few steps forward, she felt the memory of the near kiss pass through her mind, the fingers of her left hand finding their way to her soft lips.

"Did we really…" she asked to herself, an unbidden smile pulling at her lips. As she walked up to the door, Ty Lee stopped herself, finding her thoughts resting on the brief moment, and wondering what might have happened had they not been spotted by her friend.

Thoughts of her friend Mai came to her, and Ty Lee felt a sense of shame with herself. There was no way she could do that to her friend, after all they had gone through both individually and in the company of the Fire Princess.

"Oh my god, what am I doing?" she asked herself, resting her forehead against the front door to her thatch-roofed home. The guilt came upon her quickly, prodding at the warm feeling that she felt in the pit of her stomach. She had almost kissed her best friend's boyfriend, and it had felt… warm. The feel of his breath on her lips sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach, and as she turned away from the front door, she realized that Zuko was the last person she needed to see just then.

"I think I should go cool off first," she answered to herself, turning away from the small home, breathing deeply as she headed towards the cool breeze of the beach. Hoping that the crisp salt air would calm her restless mind, and wash any longing she had for Zuko from her mind, she nearly broke into a light jog, finding the enclosure of the city to be too much to handle at the moment.

After another few moments, the crisp air filled her lungs, the clean scent of the salty breeze cooling her warm skin.

"Ah, that's better," she spoke to herself, smiling as she looked out at the ocean. The gentle waves rippled the open surface, small bumps moving along the otherwise smooth surface. Out at sea, she watched the mirror image of the moon on the open water, its eerie light giving her more sense of calm.

"Ty Lee?" her eyes widened, breath quickening a bit as she turned her head to the right. There on the beach, near the waterline sat Zuko, his feet shed of the boots he had been wearing, the foamy water lapping at them.

"Zuko…" she barely whispered, watching his sorrowful expression as well as she could in the pale moonlight. "Oh, I guess you want to be alone right now, so I'll just leave you alone," she panicked, turning away from the young man.

"No, it's alright Ty Lee. I have something I need to say to you, if you aren't too mad at me," he said, almost apologetically. The tone of his voice compelled her to stay, and as she turned back towards him, Ty Lee hoped that she wasn't about to lose one of her dearest friends.

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**A beach scene, just the two of them. Surely nothing will happen there, right? Just have to wait and see. I think I am getting into a real groove with this one, so hopefully you all continue to enjoy the story. Next chapter will focus solely on Zuko and Ty Lee, so I can really start building the romantic entanglements between the two. Not quite a first kiss yet, but maybe next time :P Look for the next update hopefully tomorrow again. Just enjoying this story and the pairing too much, and I want to keep it going while I have the ideas brewing in my head.**


	6. Chapter 6: Oncoming Storm

**Chapter 06: Oncoming Storm**

**Rating: K+**

**And on the 6th day, SpyralHax brings you the sixth chapter of Zuko's Vacation, wherein Zuko and Ty Lee experience some angst and some drama ensues. Ah, this one was the hardest to write yet. Just had so much trouble thinking of dialog, and this one is probably the most dialogue heavy chapter I will write for this story, and this one was also more melodramatic than I originally intended. Just sort of came out that way. Opinions, good or bad, always welcome. Enjoy.

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"What's wrong, Zuko?" Ty Lee asked, trying to keep her voice steady as she paced slowly across the cool sand. Slipping her shoes off as she walked, the young brunette let the grains of sand slip through her toes, tickling her a bit with each step.

"I'm sorry, Ty Lee," he apologized gently, his voice barely a whisper as she took a seat next to him. Setting her red shoes to her left, the young girl pulled her knees up gently towards her chest, resting her cheek on it as she watched the teen to her right.

"Sorry for what, Zuko?" she asked, watching as Zuko clutched tightly at the sand beneath his hands, seemingly trying to lessen some kind of frustration. After a few attempts at raking through the sand with his fingers, he slumped back roughly, spreading his arms out to either side of him.

"For earlier," he replied simply after a moment's thought. Ty Lee smiled to herself as she lifted her gaze towards the dark sea, watching the shimmering of the moonlight as it reflected off of the smooth surface.

"Oh. That's nothing to apologize for, Zuko. I mean, nothing even happened," she said, feeling a twinge of pain at her own words. Sucking in a deep breath, then exhaling, the brunette tried to get a grip on her feelings, to think about what she might need to say next.

"Well, that's true. But it almost did," he spoke, turning his head against the sand so that he was staring at her, his golden spheres holding nothing but the pink and red clad girl in his gaze.

"Almost doesn't count for most things, right? So, there's nothing to be upset about," she responded, seemingly more to herself than to him.

"Ty Lee?" he asked, his brows knit together as she grew silent, something Zuko had never known to happen to the usually bubbly girl. Propping himself on his elbows, he kept his strong gaze locked upon the younger girl, watching her braid sway gently in the growing sea breeze.

"Huh?" she responded, her grey eyes falling on the older boy, her face alight in mild embarrassment at spacing out. Zuko chuckled despite himself, allowing himself to fall onto his back once again, looking up towards the nearly full moon hanging in the sky.

"It's really beautiful," he said, pulling his hands behind his head as he spoke. "The moon, it's so clear tonight," he clarified, smiling at the confused face of the young brunette out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh. Yeah, I guess it is," she responded, wrapping her arms tightly around her slender legs as she too looked up at the pale sphere, watching its eerie glow as it covered the earth below it.

Sharing a comfortable, friendly silence with the Fire Lord brought a smile to Ty Lee's face, adding the moment to the few she had enjoyed with him just the two of them.

"It's been a long time since we were alone together, huh Zuko?" she asked, not paying attention as Zuko blinked owlishly a few times, his mind wandering over the years they had known each other.

"Has it really been so long?"

"Uh-huh. Usually Mai and Azula are around, so it's almost never just us two," she answered, her lips curling into a gentle smile. A sense of longing passed over the young girl, wondering why it mattered to her to get time alone with Zuko.

"That's true. And having Azula around always means trouble," Zuko mused, not feeling upset at the memories of his sister's taunting.

"Hehe. Yeah, you were always so cute when you got upset," Ty Lee admitted truthfully, blushing faintly as she thought about all the times she and Azula had teased Zuko, usually at Mai's expense as well.

"What?" he asked, surprised by her confession. Pulling himself into a sitting position, he watched as the acrobatic young girl turned her head towards the young Fire Lord, a mirthful smile on her face.

"Yeah. It was always funny watching you blow up over stuff," she giggled, making the hand gesture for an explosion as she spoke. "I always thought you needed to relax, but that was probably not very realistic living in the palace," she added, her smile slowly dipping a bit as she felt her eyes meet his again, that uncomfortable flushing blooming on her cheeks.

"Azula certainly got a kick out of it, that's for sure," Zuko fumed, grumbling over the memory of Azula's wicked cackle at his expense, remembering all the time Ty Lee had accompanied the Fire Princess, always the loyal sidekick.

"She always liked teasing people, especially you for some reason," Ty Lee murmured, also thinking back to the time she had spent as Azula's sidekick, always accompanying the girl with whatever plan or prank she had decided to put forth.

"That's an understatement. Azula just likes to make people suffer, probably a side effect from being personally guided by our father," The mention of Zuko's father brought forth much more venom than the memory of his sister. Memories of a futile struggle to gain the approval of a man who it was doubtful even knew how to embrace another human being.

"He wasn't a very nice guy," Ty Lee spoke, a shiver running down her back at the memory of the former Fire Lord. As she looked at Zuko, the shiver disappeared, replaced with a warm hearted grin.

"You know, you really have changed, Zuko," Ty Lee began, watching the older teen gently shift in his seat, pulling his right leg up towards his chest, letting his arm hang loosely over the bent knee..

"Have I really?" he asked, curious as to what she meant.

"Uh-huh. You are totally different than your dad, for sure."

"Well, that's not saying much. He was a monster," more bitterness in his voice as he spoke about his father, raking his fingers again through the small ditch of sand he had created earlier.

"But you're not, Zuko," she responded earnestly, biting lightly on her bottom lip as she felt her heart begin to beat faster under Zuko's gaze.

"Really?"

"Of course," she responded, as though it were apparent to everyone in the world.

"Well, most people don't seem to see it that way, and I can't blame them," he answered, voice laced with sadness.

"They will. You just have to give them time, Zuko."

"Ever the optimist, Ty Lee. I wish I could see the world like you do," he answered gently, scooping a handful of sand before letting it fall lazily back to the mass of grains all around him.

"I am sure you could. I mean, you seem more positive since you came here," she thought, pushing a bit of sand as she stretched her legs out, wiggling her toes as sand clung to her soft skin.

"Really?" he asked, as if not realizing it himself. Ty Lee simply nodded, giving him one of her usual smiles.

"Most definitely. Your whole aura seems happier, much more than usual especially."

"That's not hard to do, Ty Lee," he joked, watching the girl point a slender finger at him in response.

"See? You even joke around more now," she replied, smiling as she let the outstretched hand join its twin in the sand, idly making small etchings in the sticky sand. Zuko seemed to fall into a fit of silence, as he thought about what Ty Lee had said.

"Am I really different?" he asked seriously, eyes glowing as they caught the white light from the moon above.

"Yeah, definitely. But… it's a nice change," the brunette replied, her smile earning an almost undistinguishable blush from the older teen.

"Thanks, I guess," he answered uncertainly, his smile gradually fading as he thought back to earlier that evening. "But I still need to apologize," he said, voice nearly a mumble. Ty Lee seemed to freeze just a bit as he spoke, her mind also focused on the events of that evening.

"L-like I said Zuko, it's nothing to worry about," she responded, hoping that Zuko could not notice her cheeks darkening in the pale moonlight.

"It's not alright!" he yelled, more in frustration with himself than anger at the younger girl.

"Sure it is, I mean, nothing happened, right?"

"But that's the thing," he began, swallowing the lump in his throat as he spoke. "I wanted something to happen," he admitted, the last part barely a whisper. But Ty Lee had caught the words above the wash of sea water. Her mind began to spin, wondering if maybe she had simply misheard him.

"W-what did you say, Zuko?" she asked hesitantly, her eyes daring not to shift themselves to the young man to her right, watching the tide roll in and out, gradually dampening her red pants.

"Ty Lee, earlier, when we almost kissed," he explained again, his voice a choke of emotions. She could tell he was struggling with what he wanted to say, how to explain himself.

"Don't, Zuko," she responded, dropping her head onto her drawn knees, gaze resting on the hardening sand beneath her.

"Don't what?" he asked, a sense of dread at her tone of voice.

"Zuko, you know we can't," she responded, the swell of pain pounding in her chest, hurting more with each syllable uttered. She felt her smile falter, tears stinging at the very backs of her eyes.

"We can't what, Ty Lee?" he asked, feeling an odd tightness in his own chest. He knew what she meant, knew he felt that way too… didn't he?

"We can't do this," she responded, feeling the tears creeping up on her as she spoke, the tightness gripping her tightly. "Mai's my friend, I can't go and flirt with her boyfriend!" she exclaimed, forcing the tears back, trying to hold herself together.

"I know," he admitted, head hanging backwards as he gazed towards the moon. "I know in my head that we shouldn't, that there are so many things to worry about," he continued, thoughts of the uproar such a scandal would cause in the Fire Nation court.

"In your head?" she asked, the words sending a more harsh flutter through her stomach, smoky grey eyes still not moving from their attention on the sand beneath her.

"Yeah. I know it, that we can't do that, but I can't get you out of my head," he whispered, drawing a concerned gasp from the younger girl.

"W-what?" she asked uneasily, finally letting her gaze shift to the young man to her side, to the young Fire Lord who was also her friend. Her heart was beating uncontrollably as she watched him sit perfectly still, his gaze gradually drifting over towards her.

"I know, it's wrong and all of that, but ever since I got here I've noticed that I feel different. All the problems back home seem to wash away, and I feel so light, so at ease," he explained, struggling with a proper way to put each word.

"But what does that have to do with me?" she asked, a slight tint of hope in her speech. Somewhere, deep in her heart, she knew what she wanted to hear, knew what she had always wanted to hear.

"I think it's all your fault," he responded, snickering a bit at the mildly hurt expression on the brunette's face. "You're just so enthusiastic, it's kind of infectious," he admitted, smiling genuinely at the young girl, watching as her eyes fluttered open and closed.

"So, what are you saying, Zuko?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly, sighing deeply at his own frustration. He knew he was being vague, and unclear, but he himself was not sure what he was feeling.

"You don't know?" she asked in response, realizing that she had drifted a bit closer to him, their fingertips nearly touching. The young brunette could feel the heat emanating from his body, the warmth of a fire bender, and the mild chill of the night air seemed to vanish.

"I don't know!" he growled, causing the girl to recoil a bit at his outburst. He sighed deeply, his frustration growing with each new statement. As though in response to his newfound inner turmoil, nature seemed to respond, traces of storm clouds sliding past the silvery glow of the moon.

"Look Zuko, the sky is frustrated just like you are," Ty Lee spoke gently, trying to change the subject.

"Heh, just my luck. I decide to take a vacation, and the world decides to kick me just for fun," he responded with a dark sarcasm, chuckling mirthlessly at his natural born misfortune. "Seems whatever I do is the wrong thing," he added, digging his hands beneath the surface of the sand.

"That's not true, Zuko. You just need to resolve whatever is bringing you trouble, then the sky will clear," Ty Lee added cheerfully, pointing her right hand exuberantly towards the distant horizon.

"I don't think it works like that, Ty Lee," Zuko responded, cheered a bit by her silly statement.

"Sure it does. I mean, I've never had a rainy day before," she admitted, beaming at the idea. "It's because I'm always looking up, keeping things positive," she added, her other hand slipping gently beneath the sandy surface.

"Really?" Zuko questioned incredulously, thinking back on the time he had spent with the usually air headed younger girl, trying to picture a time it rained. "I guess that could be true, but what about the people you're with, don't they effect that a little bit?" he reasoned, earning an indifferent shrug of her slender shoulders.

"I don't know. All I know is that it is never rainy where I am," she joked, thinking of herself as a sort of good luck charm. As she giggled to herself, Zuko's mind ran the information through, and then a thought occurred to him.

"Wait, so that would mean that _you're_ the one who's confused and troubled," Zuko teased, smirking as the girl tensed up with the gentle prodding. "So, Ty Lee, what is troubling you?" he asked, pulling his hand free of the damp sand, letting the clumps fall around his fingers.

"That's crazy, Zuko, I'm as happy as can be, see?" she asked, forcing a smile to her face as she looked at the young Fire Lord. The entirely unconvinced look on his face left no doubt that he was doubting her, and she wasn't sure how to handle the situation.

"You aren't as good a liar as Azula. In fact, you're a worse liar than me," he joked, watching the girl shift uncomfortably in her seat.

"I-I'm not lying," she said averting her gaze from her longtime friend.

"Yes you are. Come on, Ty Lee, what are you hiding?"

"I'm not hiding anything, Zuko. You're just being weird," she said, feeling more flustered by the second. As if responding to her discomfort, she got a taste of Zuko's poor luck with the unstoppable forces, as a large wave crashed against the shore a short distance away, soaking both of the teens through.

Blinking rapidly, Ty Lee found it impossible to suppress her giggles at the sight of a drenched Zuko, a strand of seaweed hanging lazily on his head. Rearing her head back, the girl laughed loudly, her sweet voice banging against Zuko's ears. Plucking the strand of wet greenery from its perch on his head, the young fire bender focused on the giggling girl to his left, watching as her body shook with laughter.

"Glad my embarrassment amuses you so much," he grumbled in mock annoyance, hiding the fact that he enjoyed the sight of the girl's bright smile.

"Oh, sorry Zuko, it was just so funny," she tried to speak between fits of laughter, even the memory of it too much for her to withstand.

"It's not fair, Ty Lee," he began after a moment of silence, waiting for the girl to stop giggling.

"What's not fair, Zuko?" she asked, watching the water soaked material as it clung to Zuko's body, knowing that she was in a similar position herself.

"Everything," he answered vaguely, earning a raised brow in confusion from the younger girl accompanying him.

"What in particular?"

"You," he responded basically, watching her eyes narrow a bit as she considered what he had just said. He had to admit to himself, she was… cute. Thoughts of Mai seemed to slip from his mind, replaced with the image of the sweet, bubbly girl in his company.

"What? Me? What do you mean?" she asked, unsure where he was going with his line of thinking.

"You are always closing things up to yourself, but you want others to open up to you. It's kind of unfair, don't you think?"

"Well… I guess that's true…" she admitted, trying to shift her gaze away from him, but finding it rather difficult.

"So, what are you so conflicted about, Ty Lee? I don't want to get rained on if I don't have to," he joked, smiling at the young girl as she returned the gesture.

"It's just…" she paused, unsure if she should continue, if she could continue.

"It's just what?" he asked curiously, subconsciously drawing closer to the girl at his side.

"I think I… like you, Zuko…" she answered sheepishly, her feelings of embarrassment crashing against the feelings of shame within her. Wrapping her arms around her legs, she knew she was being a terrible friend to both Zuko and Mai, thinking such things.

"I'm terrible, aren't I?" she said, a sad laugh falling from her lips as the tears began to well in her eyes. She was shaken from her moment of self pity as Zuko closed the distance between the two, turning her towards him by her shoulders.

"I don't think you're terrible, Ty Lee," he whispered, gently pressing his lips against hers, his arms snaking squarely around her waist, pulling her firmly against him. In that moment, all his confusion disappeared, and he knew what it was that had been bothering him since he had arrived on the island.

"Mmm…" a light whimper escaped the girl's lips, her wet hands clutching weakly at the back of Zuko's wet shirt, fingers digging lightly at his back. She short burst of electricity she had felt with the ghostly touch of their lips was like a pin prick to the feeling she was experiencing at that instant. Pure, blissful heat spread from her lips, warming her entire body.

Thoughts of her best friend slipped from her mind, and all she could do was close her eyes, deepening the blissful kiss she was feeling. She had no way to know how things would work, or even if they would still be friends in the morning, but none of that mattered. The little bit of emptiness she had always felt was filled, and she didn't want to think of anything else at that moment.

After a short, blissful eternity, the pair pulled apart, each with cheeks darkened by their blush, chests heaving against cold, wet clothing. The two gazed at one another, each a mirror image of a bliss induced stupor.

"Wow…" was all that Zuko could manage, feeling the light haze wash from his mind. Holding his golden eyes on the teen girl, he noticed that her eyes were still closed, a deliriously blissful look on her face. "Ty Lee, you alright?" he asked in concern, lightly tapping her cheeks as he spoke.

"I'm fine, Zuko," she answered hazily, slowly working her way onto her feet.

"Where are you going, Ty Lee?" he asked, watching her turn back towards the village. Turning her head to gaze at him, she felt the tears sting at her grey eyes again.

"I'm sorry, Zuko, we can't do this," she spoke, deepening that sense of loss in her chest. She watched as the older teen reached out towards her, missing her slender legs as she broke into a run towards the town.

As he watched the girl retreat away from him, Zuko slumped back onto the sandy beach, feeling the grains of sand sticking against his damp shirt. "Damn it, what have I done?" he asked himself, resting his right forearm against his damp forehead.

Overhead, the dark clouds began to gather with more intensity, and in the distance Zuko could hear the crack of thunder. But none of that mattered just then. He had seemingly done a terrible thing, and he feared that the guilt would never leave him.

"I'm sorry, Mai," he whispered, his own voice lost against the growing winds. All he could think of was the cheery girl who he had made cry. He would have to fix the mistakes he had made, now numbering two on this island.

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**Aww, Zuko seems to be making a decision. There will be one more push before they actually accept their feelings for each other, probably chapter after next. Next time a big storm hits the island, and Zuko gets a chance to play hero to the locals. A chance for acceptance, and maybe something more. What happens when another girl makes a play for Zuko? Will Ty Lee make the right decision as a friend, or something more? Look forward to that, readers.**


	7. Chapter 7: The Truth Through Flames

**Chapter 07: The Truth Through Fire**

**Rating: K**

**And on the seventh day, SpyralHax brings you the next chapter, in which Ty Lee and Zuko each realize their feelings, but all good developments come following a tragedy. Zuko gets to be a hero, but at a seemingly huge cost to himself. This one turned out a little better in my mind than the previous ones, but it is just not in my nature to be confident about it. So, I hope you continue to enjoy Zuko and Ty Lee's journey towards happiness.

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**

As she passed the tall statue of Avatar Kyoshi, Ty Lee's footsteps slowed, the weight of what she had done hitting her with full force. A confusing sensation rolled around inside of her, a feeling of warmth and completion, but with a sense of emptiness and shame. Her feet landing heavily on the ground, the young girl tilted her head upward, looking to the darkening night sky for some kind of answer.

"What should I do now?" she asked almost bitterly, tears running down her face, mixing with the salty water from the sea. The cold night air passed over her, brushing by the cold, wet clothing that covered her lithe frame. A cold shiver, that deepened with the thought of a certain source of warmth, a warmth that she could still feel on her lips.

"It's really not fair," she murmured to herself, her dainty fingers finding their way to her soft lips. Pressing gently on the supple flesh, her frown momentarily warmed, pulling slowly into a content smile. "I guess he gets lots of practice," she whispered, she smile cooling as she imagined her two friends together, lips locked tightly.

Shaking her head of the image, she uneasily cast a backwards glance towards the beach, turmoil overtaking her mind. Part of her wanted simply to find somewhere to hide, and remain there for the rest of Zuko's trip, to honor the friendship with Mai. But another part of her, one she found growing seemingly by the instant, wished for nothing more than to head back to the beach and let the chips fall where they may.

The two thoughts were so different, so contrasting that it confused the young girl. How could someone deal with such traitorous thoughts, the idea of betraying her friend? She knew she could never do that to Mai, and she would have to chalk this night up as a mistake, one that would never be repeated.

Yet, the thought of never again pressing her lips to his, never feeling his warm body so close to her own deepened the empty feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had to get some advice, and she only knew of one place she could get it. Turning her attention towards the top of the hill, Ty Lee broke into a sprint, desperate for someone to tell her what she should do with the feelings that were threatening to tear her apart.

As Ty Lee was making her way to the wisest person she knew, Zuko was stuck on the beach, unable to force himself to move. Lying prone on his back, feeling the grainy sand pressing against him through his damp clothes.

Cold waves lapping at his legs up to the knee, he let the sensation wash over him, needing to soothe the warm ache that had gripped his chest. A warmth that felt like a chill, a deathlike grip on his heart. In his mind, he played the scene that had just transpired through, again and again, looking for some hint at what he could have done differently, something he should have done.

But the more he thought about it, the more he pictured her soft, sweet lips on his, the more he came to think that he wanted more of it. Needed more of it. Craved more of her.

"Agh, what the hell is wrong with me?!" he shouted nearly at the top of his lungs, watching the dark storm clouds waft across the moon's pale face. His face falling into a long familiar scowl, he watched as the beach darkened, all traces of moonlight disappearing behind a dark curtain.

"Seems fitting enough," he muttered darkly, feeling as though maybe the sky was responding to his mood, his confusion. Reaching his right arm out towards the sky, Zuko felt a need for the moonlight, a desire for its clarity through the darkness. Taking a deep breath, he tried to will the clouds away, snickering at his own silliness as nothing happened.

Letting the outstretched arm crash down onto the damp sand to his side, he growled in frustration, wishing yet again that he had his uncle to turn to for some guidance. Shaking that thought from his head, Zuko realized that he had to make his own decisions, to think things through on his own.

The process seemed to always come to a stop when he thought of the bubbly girl's brown hair, her steely grey eyes, her bright, cheerful smile. Just the thought of it lightened his mood a bit, a sensation that slipped from his grasp as he thought of her frown, her normally happy face stained with tears. Slowly the fingers of his left hand found their way to his lips, pressing softly against the spot where only minutes earlier they had been fastened on hers.

Still he could taste the sweetness of her lips, the subtle taste of raspberries still lingering on his tongue. A small shiver of joy passed through him with the memory of her soft lips, her gentle touch, her fingers pressing firmly against his back.

"Is it really so wrong?" he mused to himself, looking up to the sky as though waiting for an answer. With an amused chuckle, he pulled into a sitting position, a loud crack of thunder echoing from offshore, a bolt of lightning crashing towards the dark surface. Bending his right leg at the knee, he rested the matching arm against it, his hand dangling loosely against his shin.

Looking out to sea, he thought about the people who had taken up a residence in his once cold, unfeeling heart. Two in particular stood out, and he found himself smiling a bit at the sheer irony. Polar opposites, two people who by all rights should not be able to get along, and yet their friendship brought the core of his conflict.

Zuko knew where Ty Lee was coming from, her feelings matching his own. He felt a certain sense of near obligation to Mai, not wanting to hurt his friend, the one who had risked so much to help him towards the end of the war. He loved her, he knew that, but after spending a few days with only Ty Lee to keep him company, he found the love had cooled, from a passion to a friendship, and the pale, dark haired girl's image gradually faded, a brighter person taking her place.

He knew he would always have a special relationship with Mai, his first love. A sense of sadness washed over him as he realized how hurt she would be to find out that his feelings had changed. His dark, moody tendencies seemed to all but vanish when he was around Ty Lee's infectiously upbeat personality.

The young Fire Lord found that he smiled easier, felt lighter, more at peace since he had come to this island. At first, he figured it was the simple sense of relief, of getting away from the pressure of public life that had lifted his spirits. But after this night, he knew that was not the case. It wasn't the peaceful scenery, or the lack of responsibility. It was her happy smile, her flowery voice, her all around sweetness.

Pulling himself to his feet, he smiled with confidence. He knew what it was he had to do, but there was one last thing he had to be sure of before he made his final decision. He wondered briefly if she would ever be able to admit it if she did return his feelings. But even then, he knew it wouldn't be fair to any involved if he kept the feelings hidden.

Turning towards the small town, he took a few steady strides along the beach, picking up his boots as he walked. The sensation of sand beneath his feet was oddly calming, and with each step, he felt his feet sinking slightly into the wet sand. But as the soft sand gradually turned into solid stone, the odd torchlight of the village coming clear into view, Zuko felt a strange sense of dread. A sort of premonition that something bad was about to happen.

Looking around the village, he felt a hint of confusion as everything seemed peaceful. He wondered for an instant if this village ever really knew any hardship, save for the one he had brought on them with his own anger and blindness.

"Probably just guilt," he spoke softly, chuckling just as gently as he felt the breeze off the ocean pick up gradually. The clothes on his back whipped about carelessly, the sand brushing off of his back with the speedy winds. Even as he accepted his own explanation, the hairs on the back of his neck pricked a bit with the echo of thunder in the distance, the sound closer than before.

"Or maybe it's something else," he whispered, casting a worried look towards the sea, watching as the dark clouds crept slowly over the beach towards the small town. The sense of dread in his stomach deepened, and he feared that his bad luck was soon going to be this town's bad luck as well.

Reaching the home that Suki and Sokka had taken up residence in, Ty Lee panted heavily, pounding roughly on the heavy wooden door. Within the small wooden structure, she heard the muffled grumblings, and figured that Sokka would be in a bad mood. She had a feeling she had interrupted them in an… intimate moment, but that didn't matter to her just then.

As the door swung open, Ty Lee ignored the loose fitting blue garb adorning the frame of her new leader, the front of her shirt held closed by a single hand. The bubbly brunette was not the only female breathing somewhat harshly, Suki's hair also a mess.

"Ty Lee, what's the matter?" the older teen asked, her frustration masked by a tone of concern for her friend. She reeled back a bit in surprise as she noticed the tear streaks along the younger girl's face, and instinctively threw her arms around the girl.

"Oh, you're soaked. What have you been up to?" she asked, looking at the wet spot that had appeared on her own shirt as well.

"Suki, I need to talk to you," Ty Lee pleaded, sniffling lightly as she spoke. The older girl nodded, turning sideways to escort the girl inside. Once the door was closed, the auburn haired warrior yelled for Sokka to grab a blanket and some dry clothes as she escorted the younger teen to the living room.

Sokka's grumblings could be heard through the house as he trudged to a side closet, producing a heavy blue blanket, letting the material drag carelessly along the wooden floor as he walked towards the living room. But his own disappointment vanished at the unusually unkempt appearance of the Fire Nation acrobat.

"Oh my god, Ty Lee what happened?" he asked, his natural male protective instincts taking over. Ignoring the withering look he received from Suki, he rushed to the younger girl's side, draping the blanket loosely over her shoulders. Rubbing the material against her to warm her up, he noticed the tear streaks on her cheeks.

"Did someone hit you? Was it Zuko?" the mention of the teenage Fire Lord's name caused the girl to tense up a bit in apprehension, giggling weakly as she tried to gather herself after her short dash.

"No, it's nothing like that. I just… feel so confused," she admitted, clutching the heavy cloth around her. Feeling a rush of warmth pass through her body, Ty Lee then looked appreciatively at Sokka, thanking him for the blanket.

As Sokka blushed a bit, saying it was nothing big, he got a hard elbow to the side, a clear warning that he was on the verge of upsetting his girl. A weak apology from Sokka, and Ty Lee giggled a bit, feeling herself cheer up a bit.

"I'm sorry I interrupted you guys, but I really needed to talk to someone," she said, catching the mildly embarrassed looks on the faces of the two older teens.

"W-well, it's not like you really interrupted anything important," Suki said, smirking at the annoyed grumble from her boyfriend and companion. "More importantly than that, what happened to you?" she asked, thoughts of tweaking Sokka slipping from her mind.

"I'm just so confused," Ty Lee admitted, smiling weakly as she sighed heavily, thinking over all the events of the last couple of days.

"Confused about what?" Sokka asked, brow raised in an oblivious expression, the opposite of the caring, yet knowing expression of his girlfriend.

"W-well…" the brunette began, feeling oddly nervous about discussing the matter. Sokka leaned forward on his seat, anxious to get to the heart of the matter. A pressure on the back of his tunic brought him back to his seat, a questioning gaze shot at his lover.

"What the heck, Suki?" he questioned, confused as he noticed the look on Suki's face.

"Come on, Sokka, even you can't be that clueless," she teased, blinking as she realized that he was in fact that clueless. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she looked at the newest Kyoshi Warrior, her smile deepening a bit as she spoke. "Ty Lee is having boy troubles, am I right?"

"What!?" Sokka shouted, more indignantly than he should, watching as the young brunette nodded her head weakly, a light pink hue coloring her soft cheeks.

"I never would have thought that you would have boy troubles, Ty Lee," Suki joked, frowning in remorse as the brunette's face darkened a bit. Leaning forward a bit, she rested her hands reassuringly on the younger girl's knee, trying to ease her seemingly troubled mind.

"I'm sorry, it's just that you're usually so energetic and light hearted, I always assumed you had it easy with the guys," Suki explained, earning a mirthless chuckle from the younger girl.

"Well, it's not quite like that," Ty Lee began, tilting her head back to gaze at the confused looks of her two friends. "Actually, there's this guy I like, but he is taken already, and I don't know what I should do," she continued, placing her hands gently in her still damp lap.

"Hmm. What does the guy think about you?" Suki asked helpfully, watching as Ty Lee blushed a little darker.

"Well, we kind of kissed a little while ago…" she murmured, her cheeks warming with the thought.

"Seems that settles things, if you ask me. Or do you think he's just leading you on?" Ty Lee blinked a couple of times. That was a thought that had not occurred to her, and it brought a short pain to her chest. She thought back to all the time she had known Zuko, and while they had never been the closest of friends growing up, she knew he would never do anything like that.

"I don't think so. He always worries about stuff, and he's too honorable to think of two timing. But I think he might just be confused," she spoke, giggling a bit despite herself, imagining all the embarrassed looks she had seen Zuko display, usually involving Mai.

"Honorable…?" the word triggered Sokka's memories, of all the times he had run into… Zuko… "ZUKO!?" he yelled, the thought hitting him hard in his mind, blue eyes bulging open as he leapt to his feet.

For an instant there was silence, and Ty Lee thought that maybe it had been a mistake to seek advice on the subject. Swallowing her embarrassment, she nodded weakly in reply, not paying attention to the light gasp that escaped Suki's ruby colored lips.

"Wow, I can see why that would be a problem," the older girl responded, tapping her right fingers against her knee.

"I can't believe Zuko gets all the girls," Sokka muttered darkly, a stare from Suki asking without words exactly what he meant. "Ah, but, I'm happy because I got the best girl in the world," he mumbled nervously, feeling a cold sweat break out on his forehead. Wrapping his arms around his girl in emphasis, he felt her soften a bit in his arm, both sets of eyes focusing on the young girl draped in the heavy blanket.

"So, Zuko kissed you?" Suki asked, trying to clarify the situation as much as she could. The younger girl nodded weakly again, and concerned grumbled rose from Suki and Sokka.

"That seems like a problem. I wouldn't want Mai mad at me, that's for sure," Sokka spoke sarcastically, imagining the anger that might surge from the gloomy Fire Nation lady.

"I just don't know what to do. Zuko and Mai are both my friends, and I'm the one who sort of got them together, but now.." Ty Lee began, the feelings of happiness and betrayal still struggling against one another in her mind.

"Maybe it's just me, but I think you have to let Zuko make that decision," Suki explained, smiling reassuringly at the younger girl. "I mean, you love him, don't you?" Ty Lee was taken aback a bit. She hadn't thought of it in such terms, thinking that it might just be another crush.

"Well, he's a really complicated guy," the rolling of the eyes of the other two teens seemed to echo the sentiment of 'no kidding', but Ty Lee ignored it as she continued. "But he's really nice. He's strong, and proud, and kind," she went on, finding it easy to find things to compliment about the Fire Lord.

"So, do you love him?" Sokka asked, smiling as he noticed the energy returning to the younger girl's voice and features.

"Well, I…" Just as she was about to give her answer, a loud cracking sound echoed through the air.

"What was that?" Suki asked, the three present quickly making their way towards the front door to Suki's home. Three sets of eyes widened in surprise, watching a large, intense glow emanating from the base of the hill.

"Oh my god, the storage house!" Sokka yelled, dashing down the hill, the two teen girls a short distance behind. As they ran down the street, the rest of the villagers flooded from their homes, each making their way to the source of the intense light. The dark clouds hung ominously overhead, and blocked out the pale, guiding light of the moon.

The darkness that was cast was interrupted by the glowing red blaze, the assembled villagers gathering around the burning structure. Pushing their way through the crowd, Sokka and the two young women made their way to the front, putting their hands in front of their faces to block the intense heat. Looking around, Sokka reached for who he assumed to have been the first person present.

"What happened?" he asked roughly, a look of worry on his face as he looked into a set of scared emerald eyes.

"I-I don't know. I was making a check before locking it up for the night, and then this streak of blue just slammed into the building from the sky," the young man seemed frightened, his clothes singed in places from the intense heat.

"Is anyone inside?" Sokka asked hurriedly, panic wrenching his voice as he could hear the fire picking up. He felt his impatience grow as the young man seemed to hesitate for a moment, trying to think.

"N-no, I don't think-"

"Help!" A young girl's voice carried harshly from within the large blaze. The assembled crowd gasped in shock, hearing the voice from inside.

"Oh my god…" Sokka mumbled, thinking frantically for some plan to solve the situation. Racking his brain, he could not believe that this could be happening. "What is she doing in there?" he asked to himself, to those around him, to the crowd as a whole.

"Sokka, we have to think of something," Ty Lee cried, hands held up in front of her face as she watched helplessly. Each member of the village turned their gazes from the bright ball of fire, listening to the sickening crack of burning wood.

"That poor girl," one of the villagers mumbled.

"Please, someone save my baby," her mother yelled, tears streaming violently down her face. She was being restrained by her husband, prevented from doing anything. Sobs could be heard as the townspeople watched in horror.

But against the burning blaze, a single silhouette approached the flaming structure, body tense as he leaned slowly towards the blaze then away. Finding her gaze shifting towards the front of the structure, Ty Lee focused on the shadow, her grey eyes opening wide as she recognized him.

"Zuko!" she shouted, catching a sly smirk on his face as he leapt quickly into the fire, his right foot making solid contact on the large front door. As it splintered open, weakened by the bits of flame, the rest of the crowd gaped in surprise as he disappeared into the glowing wreckage.

"What is he doing?" Sokka asked, mirroring the faces of worry on his two friends. The rest of the village was simply left stunned, watching a stranger, one who many of them had cursed for his attack on their village all those months earlier, throw himself carelessly into the fire.

"He's just being Zuko," Ty Lee responded, a sad smile on her face as tears rolled down her cheeks. The three watched, waiting for Zuko to emerge from the flames. An odd crack of wood as the supports collapsed inside the structure rang in their ears, and as the thatched roof finally collapsed into the structure, they each looked down at the ground, a sense of loss as the momentary surge of energy from the crowd dissipated.

"No…" Suki whispered, feeling tears stinging at the corners of her eyes. Casting her gaze toward the young brunette, she noticed that Ty Lee seemed locked in place, her eyes not blinking as the red and orange light of the fire reflected from her clear grey eyes.

"Ty Lee…" Sokka muttered, feeling a hard grip in his chest at her sad expression. "Zuko, you idiot…" he cursed, biting his tongue as he clenched his fists together.

Ty Lee's fallen expression hesitantly lifted, a figure staggering from within the intense flames. Her tears began to stream even more freely from her eyes, her lips curling into a relieved smile.

"Oh my god, it's Zuko!" she shouted, rushing forward, leaving Sokka and Suki to gaze at the sight dumbfounded. Sprinting the distance between herself and Zuko, she noticed the small bundle in his arms, and felt the same sadness return. "Oh my god, Zuko, is she…"

Looking into her eyes, Zuko smiled, as he opened his arms, the young black haired girl bawling as she ran towards her mother. Everyone watched the scene unfold, the girl rescued from the horrible accident by the Fire Lord himself. A cheer rang through the assembled crowd as they surged towards the young man.

"Let's hear it for Fire Lord Zuko!" the first man shouted, followed by a chorus of cheers. Ty Lee simply wept in relief, catching sight of the dark singe marks across his body, his clothes nipped by flames at the edges.

"Zuko, you're such a jerk," she teased, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand, but unable to hide the smile that crossed her lips. She watched as Zuko closed the remainder of the distance between them, his arms finding their way heavily over her shoulders.

"Ty Lee? Is that you?" he asked, the brunette's smile fading a bit as his raspy voice reached her ears. Pulling back a bit, she felt the emptiness rip at her heart once more, as his eyes fluttered open and closed.

"It's me, Zuko. I'm here, you just have to hang on, alright?" the cheering stopped, and an audible gasp ran through the crowd. They all watched as the young man's body fell limply into his friend's arms, his breathing labored and difficult.

"Oh my god, what's wrong with him?" Sokka asked, rushing to Ty Lee's side. Taking the older teen from the girl, Suki came to her side as well, throwing an arm around her. Pressing his fingers to Zuko's throat, the water tribe teen breathed a short lived sigh of relief.

"He's breathing, but just barely. I don't know if he's going to make it," he spoke gravely, motioning for another young man to help carry him.

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**Ah, a cliffhanger! Is Zuko going to be alright? How will Ty Lee make it through this little spot? Things are definitely coming to a head, and next time they finally put their cards on the table. Also guest appearances by the rest of Team Avatar, but the stars will be Zuko and Ty Lee. Look forward to that, as well as a possible (repeat, POSSIBLE) oneshot to be published independently. Just have some weird little ideas for this pairing, so I might type them out if I get a chance. Until next time, loyal readers.**


	8. Chapter 8: Tearful

**Chapter 08: Tearful**

**Rating: K**

**On the 10th day of May, this author brings to you: the next chapter of Zuko's Vacation. Aang and Katara make their first appearances into the story, so things might seem a little weird in terms of pacing and what have you, but hopefully the next chapter will settle that down a bit. Can Katara and her magic water fix Zuko's trouble? Read on to find out, faithful readers.

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**

As Zuko's lifeless body was carried quickly up the large hill, Ty Lee stood nearly completely still, feet rooted to the ground. The silent murmurs from the crowd did not register on her ears as she stared after him, feeling a deep hollowness engulfing her from within. Worry filled the small cracks in her heart, and the unfairness of the entire thing hit her heavily.

"Ty Lee, I'm sure he'll be alright," the young brunette barely registered the comforting hand of her older friend resting on her shoulder, instead keeping her gaze focused towards the top of the hill. She watched as the three forms disappeared from view, leaving her with little but her thoughts.

To see the usually energetic, fiery Zuko so lifeless had shaken her, left a strong impact on her peppy demeanor. Unbidden by her newly grief stricken mind, her left hand found its way to her chest, clutching tightly where her heart lay as tears began to stream down her face for the second time that evening.

"Suki," she cried, turning quickly and throwing herself against the older girl. Ty Lee felt the strong arms of her friend wrap around her, slender fingers patting her head in comfort, as Suki tried to find some words of comfort.

"It's not fair. It's not fair…" she cried against the older teen, her head resting against a strong shoulder, feeling the blue material of her shirt becoming damp with her tears.

"Ty Lee, Zuko's strong, so I am sure he'll pull through this somehow," she reassured the younger girl, no real conviction in her voice. She felt the sobs racking the young brunette's frame, her breathing harsh and uneven. Tilting her head slightly to the right, Suki felt a sense of anger pass through her, wondering how Zuko could be so selfish.

"He just has to be alright, Suki. I didn't even get a chance to tell him how I feel," Ty Lee continued to cry into Suki's shoulder, clutching at the older girl tightly to keep herself upright. Her body felt exhausted, and she wanted to simply collapse in whatever position gravity might dictate.

As her pain continued to swell in her chest, the heavens themselves seemed to respond, the heavy black clouds opening up with a beating, heavy rain. The droplets fell quickly, sending the gazes of the assembled crowds towards the sky, as the large droplets began to pelt the ground.

Ty Lee was only vaguely aware of the heavy rain that began to beat down on her light frame, not paying it any attention. Small puddles began to form in dips in the road, a light stream draining down the center of the wide road. A sense of heaviness passed over the still lingering crowd, some whispering to each other to clarify what exactly had just happened. It seemed strange to them that Zuko, the current Fire Lord, would simply rush into a burning building to save a child.

But Ty Lee knew better. She knew that beneath his usually gruff exterior was a kind boy, who held a compassion for people that his father had ruthlessly attempted to beat out of him. She felt the rain wash over her, matting her clothing and hair against her flawless skin.

Slowly the water did its job, quashing the remaining flames as they licked at the now scorched wood. Smoke billowed carelessly from the hollowed out structure, and Ty Lee felt herself silently cursing the sky above. Why hadn't it begun raining only a few minutes earlier, why had it found it necessary to wait until after Zuko demonstrated his selflessness once again.

Sniffling like a weeping widow, Ty Lee pulled herself away from the older girl, trying to force a smile to her face. The task seemed unnaturally taxing, and the smile that pulled at her lips only made Suki more upset.

"Why don't you go to him," Suki suggested, smiling a bit as she spoke. She watched the rain's clear water drip effortlessly down the younger girl's soft face, her face a soaked mess between the tears and rainwater.

"But, there's nothing I can do to help," Ty Lee mumbled pathetically, letting her foggy grey eyes drift down towards the ground. She watched the rainwater dip heavily into the puddle at her feet, sending ripples in all directions within the muddy pool. Trying to drown out the pain in her chest, she tried to focus on the patter of raindrops all around her, tried to let the sound fill her senses.

But as she closed her eyes, all she could see was Zuko's lifeless body, singed by his native element, watching as his golden eyes closed in a slow agony. The heaving of his chest against her still felt fresh in her mind, and the brunette clutched at her arms as she dropped to her knees.

"All I know how to do is hurt people," she cried, cursing her own talent with the martial arts, lamenting that she had never bothered to learn first aid before. "I wish I knew something more helpful, something that could help Zuko," she continued, her fingers digging into her skin through her shirt.

"I'm always so useless," she added, feeling the grip on her arms lessen, her hands falling into her lap. Looking down at the hands that could cause so much harm, yet do so little good, Ty Lee felt a true sense of hopelessness.

"You're not useless, Ty Lee," the auburn haired girl spoke gently crouching in front of the younger girl. Clasping the girls hands in her own, she smiled reassuringly to her, ignoring her own water dampened appearance. "At least, I'm sure Zuko doesn't think so," she continued, wondering just how the emotional young man might phrase it.

"How do you know?" Ty Lee asked curiously, feeling her mood lighten a bit.

"Well, he used to be all grumpy and serious, right?" Suki asked seriously, pulling Ty Lee into a standing position. The young brunette nodded gently, finding a sweet smile pulling at her lips at the thought of Zuko's amusing outbursts.

"Yeah, but I was always part of the problem, joining Azula in teasing him and poor Mai," Ty Lee explained, fruitlessly rubbing at her cheeks in a futile attempt to wipe the moisture away. The gesture simply moved the moisture around, her wet hands leaving more in its wake.

"But the point is, he's not anymore, right?" the older teen asked, earning a slightly confused nod from the younger girl. "And why do you think that is?" she added, Ty Lee blinking a few times in surprise.

"I… don't know," she answered honestly. She had noticed that Zuko had seemed happier, more at peace with himself and the world, but hadn't thought about the cause for his change in demeanor. The brunette had assumed it was just form spending time with his love, Mai. But as she thought about it, she realized that they likely spent a great deal of time apart, an effect of the demands on the Fire Lord's time.

"I think you do know," Suki answered, slightly teasing the younger girl. Ty Lee's face lit up in a light blush, her smile warming as she caught onto Suki's meaning.

"B-but I didn't do anything, so why would it be me?" she asked, stuttering just a bit as she spoke.

"Probably because you're the opposite of how he usually is. You're always so happy and pleasant, it's almost impossible to be depressed around you," Suki said, giggling just a little as she began to guide her younger friend towards the meeting hall.

"It's not anything that impressive," Ty Lee excused, trying to think of some other reason for Zuko's change in mood. "I mean, anyone can be positive if they try," she added, listening to the soft patter of her feet through the running water in the street.

"Most people can't act so positively. They deal with all the negatives, and never think of the positives. I think that your positivity is kind of infectious, and it lightens the mood around you," Suki admitted, giving her friend a reassuring squeeze of the shoulders as they approached the large meeting hall.

Looking apprehensively at the suddenly imposing structure, Ty Lee felt a near foreboding feeling deep in her stomach, and felt a sudden urge to bolt away, to hide away until whatever happened, happened.

But another part of her knew that if she left, and something happened to Zuko, then she would never be her normal self, and she would never be able to forgive herself.

Taking a deep breath, she reached towards the door, stopping for an instant. "Thanks, Suki," she spoke softly, smiling in appreciation to the older girl.

"Hey, it's part of my job as the leader, and your friend, Ty Lee," Suki answered easily, taking a step forward to enter along with her friend. As they stepped inside, they could see Zuko resting on a mat near the center of the large open room, his ragged breathing echoing off of the empty walls.

"Sokka, is he any better?" Suki asked worriedly, hoping that Zuko had somehow recovered. Sokka worked himself to his feet, shaking his head as he looked aimlessly towards the ground.

"I don't know. I don't know anything about this kind of stuff. If it was just bandages, I could do that, but it seems like there is some kind of internal damage," he explained, casting a sideways glance at the teen who had transformed himself from hated enemy to trusted friend during the war.

"What kind of internal damage?" Ty Lee asked, her legs making a few heavy movements towards the young man. The light splatter of water on hard wood sounded lightly in her ears, but did not affect her. Each step brought her closer to her longtime friend, and as she watched his labored breathing, she wished anew that she could somehow help him.

"If I had to guess, I would say smoke has damaged his lungs," Sokka answered sternly, a dark atmosphere filling the room. "I'm not sure if there is anything we can do. If only we had some water benders around, it would be different," he responded, frustrated with his lack of ability to help.

"Waterbenders?" Ty Lee asked a bit curiously. She always knew that water benders were skilled warriors, but had forgotten that some of them could make use of mystical healing powers. "If there were a water bender, Zuko would be alright?" she asked a bit more enthusiastically, her grey eyes flipping open as she turned back towards Sokka.

"It's a possibility, but there's no point thinking about that since there are none on this island," he cautioned, dashing the girl's short-lived hope with his serious tone. Shoulders slumping forward, the girl rested on her folded legs, wrapping her hands around Zuko's strong left hand, a sad smile crossing her face at his warmth.

As she sat, she listened to each individual sound in the room, focusing on the forced breathing of the young Fire Lord as his chest heaved up and down. She could tell he was struggling for each breath, a feature that had marked a large portion of Zuko's young life. Struggle.

"Come on, Zuko, you're strong, right? How can you lose to a little smoke after all you went through?" she asked, feeling a little silly as she simply spoke with him in his unconscious state, swimming between consciousness and possible death.

Gradually the heavy rain died down outside, the hard pelting of rain against thatched roofs slowing to a gentle thumping. She imagined the beads of rain dripping carelessly down the structure, joining its brothers in the puddles across the ground.

"Zuko, you can't die. If you do, Mai will kill me," she tried joking, giggling mirthlessly at the joke. "Though, I think she will probably want to kill me anyway," she continued, tightly squeezing the older teen's hand in hers.

Scooting forward a bit in her position, she reached out with her free hand, brushing the strands of messy black hair from his face. Smiling warmly, she ran her gentle fingers carefully along his large scar, imagining just how intense such an injury must have hurt, wondering if it hurt him still.

"You've lived through this," she went on, hoping on some level that he could hear her, could hear her voice, "so a little smoke should be nothing, right?" she finished, letting her fingers linger gently on the rough patch of skin.

Slowly she let her fingers drift over his features, down to his damaged ear. The girl felt an uneasy shiver pass through her as she touched the mangled flesh, soon followed by a feeling of anger, wondering how any father, even one as cruel as Ozai, could do something like that to their own son?

"I-I'll be fine… Ty Lee…" he spoke gently between raspy breaths, and the brunette found herself gasping in surprise, quickly pulling her hand away from his face. Her heart began to beat faster as his left hand clenched hers tightly in return, smiling weakly as his golden eyes came into view.

"You better be, Zuko," she responded as lightly as she was capable, hoping that he would not notice the bits of moisture running down her arms towards his hand. "You are a big jerk, you know that?" she huffed sarcastically, smiling down at him as he tried to pull himself into a sitting position before crashing down onto the mat once again.

"I will… be in a… little while…" his ragged breaths grated on her ears, and as she watched the black hair spread aimlessly around his head, she felt an urge to simply reach down, and hold him tightly in her arms.

"Zuko, they don't know if you will be alright," she began, speaking just above a whisper as she clasped her other hand around his, clutching it tightly as she spoke. "Sokka thinks it's smoke damage to your lungs," she explained honestly, watching the information as it ran through his mind. For a moment, there as nothing. No sound, no motion from anyone present in the room. But after a tense moment, Zuko simply chuckled, removing his hand from her clutch and running it gently along her damp face.

"It must have rained. Either that or you were crying again," he teased, running his thumb gently against her cheek just below her right eye. The sound that escaped her lips was best described as a sobbing chuckle, and she locked eyes with the young man, hoping desperately that it would not be the last time she could enjoy their encompassing warmth.

"Jerk. I was just worried about you," she admitted, smiling earnestly through the pain in her chest. Ty Lee savored the feeling of his calloused hand against her smooth skin, knowing he could feel the muscles in her face move as she smiled.

"I'm sorry, Ty Lee," he began, stopping and chuckling in a low tone as he apologized. "Seems like all I've been doing today is apologizing to you," he answered to her confused eyes, a smile passing between them as she thought back on the day that had passed between them.

"Nothing to apologize for, Zuko. Except being a jerk, and worrying me nearly to death," she scolded, watching his hand fall gently to his side again. Folding her own hands neatly in her lap, she watched as he continued to smile towards her, his breathing still coming in ragged bursts.

Slowly, Zuko's eyes closed again, and his breathing slowed even more, sending a surge of panic through the brunette at his side. Her own breathing stopped momentarily, as she waited for him to breathe, to give any sign that he was still alive. After a tense moment, he slowly began to breathe again, heavier and more ragged than before, and she knew that without the right help, Zuko would not survive.

As she felt the tears attempting to rise at the back of her eyes once more, she caught a light, almost imperceptible sound in the distance. Craning her neck, she tried to focus, to hear the sound more clearly. Eyes widening in excitement, she broke from Zuko's side, dashing quickly past the two who had taken up a near guard position at the front door, ignoring their surprised looks.

As her feet splashed on the damp ground, she looked to the direction the sound was coming from, her excitement growing as the two older teens joined her outside. Their bewilderment turned to relieved excitement as they followed her gaze, watching a familiar outline heading steadily towards them from the northeastern direction.

All three waved their arms enthusiastically, gathering the attention of the young Avatar, watching as the large bison landed a short distance away from them. Aang quickly made his way down from the large saddle, goofy grin plastered on his face as usual as he walked up to his friends.

"Hey Sokka, Suki, Ty Lee, how's things going?" he asked, patting the head of his loyal pet as he rested his trademark staff against his shoulder. A loud bellow from the large beast gave him a sense of amusement as he turned his attention to his three friends. The solemn looks on their faces dropped the grin from his own face, as Katara climbed down from the large bison, taking position to Aang's right.

"What's wrong, you guys?" she asked, feeling the oppressive atmosphere between the three.

"Katara, thank god you're here," Ty Lee cried, clasping the water bender's hands in her own. On instinct, Katara tried to extricate her hands from the grip of the Fire Nation teen, despite her curiosity at the almost deliriously relieved sound of the bubbly brunette's voice.

"What the hell is going on?" Katara asked, looking from the young teen back to Aang, who simply shrugged his shoulders in confusion, curious himself as to what was happening.

"It's Zuko," Suki began, watching as the two newcomers' eyes shot open in concern, Katara finally giving in to the tugs of the frantic Ty Lee, following her quickly into the large structure. Soon after, Sokka, Suki and Aang joined them, each taking a position around the injured Fire Lord.

"Oh my god, what happened?" Katara asked, producing a bit of water from the pouch at her waist. Ty Lee watched entranced as the water began to shimmer with a bright blue, the tan skinned girl's hands passing slowly over Zuko's torso.

"Well, there was an accident, and one of the storehouses in town kind of accidentally blew up," Sokka began, turning his attention from the scene at hand to his bald friend. In the short time they had been apart, the young boy had sprouted up a bit, no longer quite the little kid that he would probably always remember.

"Blew up?" Aang asked curiously, his own eyes focusing on the water tribe girl, the girl he had fallen for almost at first sight. He watched the intense focus as the girl tried to heal whatever was ailing the young Fire Lord.

"Yeah. A bolt of lightning crashed through the roof, then the place just blew. That would have been fine, but there was a girl trapped inside," Sokka continued, pausing briefly at the surprised gasps from Katara and Aang.

"Oh. And then…" Katara whispered, her eyes softening from their intense concentration, filled with a sense of appreciation.

"… Zuko jumped in to save her," Aang finished, turning to Sokka as the older boy nodded, his arm thrown comfortably around his girl. The two looked appreciatively at the teen lying prone on the mat, a look the young monk found crossing his own lips.

"Basically. Ki Rei's parents were so choked up when it happened, I thought her mom was going to pass out from hyperventilating. I don't know what would have happened if Zuko hadn't been there," Sokka continued, describing the entire scene to his friend and sister to the best of his ability. Oddly, he found no room for his usual exaggeration, the story itself remarkable enough on its own.

"That sounds like Zuko, alright. Throwing himself into trouble without thinking," Katara spoke gently, passing her hands slowly over the area that seemed to be giving him the most problems.

"Yeah, he's pretty careless," Ty Lee added, smiling as she noticed his breathing evening out a bit, impressed with the healing powers of the young water bender. Finally, Katara removed her hands, resting against the floor as she too watched the young Fire Lord breathing, wanting to be sure that he was fine.

"Geez, it's not nice to talk about people just because you think they can't hear you," he grumbled sarcastically, his eyes opening slowly. As he came to, his honey colored eyes passed from person to person, gradually realizing that Katara and Aang had arrived.

"You need to be more careful, Zuko. You're not immortal, you know?" Katara joked, pulling herself into a standing position as Zuko let his gaze rest on the blue eyed beauty.

"I guess I owe you another one, Katara," he spoke, his right hand reaching for the reassuring grasp of the acrobat's nimble fingers. As she clutched at his hand, he calmed down a bit as he gently bowed his head as well as he could in his prone position.

"Hey, one, two, who's counting?" Katara answered modestly, shrugging her shoulders dismissively as she smirked at him. Unfastening the blue parka, she slid the heavy coat from her slender frame, leaving her light blue shirt visible.

"Thanks Katara," Ty Lee answered sweetly, feeling a surge of happiness sweep through her. The water tribe girl blinked twice in surprise, looking from the young acrobat to the two elder teens, noticing the mildly amused looks on their faces.

"Oh, well, you're welcome?" she responded confusedly, watching as Ty Lee looked caringly at the young Fire Lord. Making her way towards the other group of teens, she caught Sokka by his collar, pulling him gently along as she made her way towards the entrance.

"Ow, ow, ow, Katara, that hurts," the boy whined, clutching idly at his throat as his sister finally settled down.

"Okay, what's going on with those two?" she asked, a harsh whisper as the teens each looked towards the scene in the center of the room. Ty Lee and Zuko seemed to be lost in their own conversation, and Katara in particular was surprised at how peaceful Zuko looked, and how easily he seemed to be smiling.

"Ah, well, it's really juicy," Sokka smirked, noting the raised brow from his sister, and the mildly annoyed expression on the face of his girlfriend.

"What's really juicy?" Aang asked excitedly, not picking up on Sokka's tone of voice. Sokka failed to suppress an amused chuckle at the younger boy's seeming lack of knowledge in romance, throwing his arm playfully around the younger boy's neck.

"Ah, Aang, Aang, Aang. What we have here," he paused briefly, pointing towards the Fire Lord and his acrobatic friend, "is the beginnings of a love triangle." As he finished, the younger boy blinked in confusion for a moment, before the knowledge clicked in his head.

"You mean Zuko and Ty Lee are-" Sokka clasped his hand to the younger boy's mouth, eagerly trying to hush him from being too loud. The air bender slowly peeled the older boy's hand from his lips, sucking in a few heavy breaths.

"Wow, Zuko and Ty Lee. But, they're so…" Katara began, feeling a sense of giddiness at the knowledge, but also some slight confusion.

"… different, right?" Sokka finished, smiling from ear to ear as his sister nodded. "Yeah, they are, but they really get along somehow," he continued, his grin transforming to a more friendly smile.

"I think it's cute," Suki added, smiling as she could see her friend visibly cheer up with Zuko's apparent recovery. Each of the others watched the scene, coming to the same conclusion.

"But what about Mai?" Sokka asked, as though he had completely forgotten about the dark, gloomy girl.

"Well, that's something that they'll have to deal with themselves," Suki added, yawning with some exhaustion. The other members of team Avatar present each felt themselves growing tired as well, the lateness of the night getting to each of them.

"Maybe it'll be good to get some rest," Aang suggested, nods of approval from the others. As Sokka escorted the new visitors out of the meeting hall, Suki broke away, slowly making her way over to the two Fire Nation teens.

"It's pretty late, maybe you should change into something dry, so you don't catch a cold," she suggested, approaching the pair slowly.

"Oh, that's right," Ty Lee answered absent mindedly, realizing that she was still wearing her damp clothing from earlier. An amused chuckle from Zuko and she felt a warm tingle grow in her stomach, smiling down at the young man as she stood. "I guess I should get cleaned up," she said, turning slowly on her heels.

"So, where will I be sleeping tonight?" Zuko asked, thinking about his situation. The healing water had done its trick, and he felt better. He watched as Ty Lee and Suki both stopped, turning back to stare at him.

"Well, where do you think, silly?" Ty Lee answered sweetly, just a hint of nervousness on her voice. "You'll be staying with me, but no funny business, alright?" she asked sarcastically, hands resting firmly on her softly curved hips. Zuko blinked a few times as he pulled into a sitting position before smirking in amusement.

"Alright, no funny business," he agreed, noting the smell of burned clothing as it wafted up from his formerly nice shirt. "I think I need to change as well," he said, smiling warmly as he made his way over to his friend. Without thinking about it, he reached out, entwining their fingers together as they walked back down the hill towards her small home.

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**I wonder if Zuko and Ty Lee can hold off on the funny business, spending the night together. Yeah, I don't think so either :p Next time the rating jumps up a bit, not sure if it will go all the way to M or just to T, but definitely gets a little... steamy. The next one will be pretty much only Zuko and Ty Lee. And for those of you wondering why Toph is not here, she will make her appearance chapter after that. And there will be a little bit of a hint of Toko as well. But first I want to get that last push towards the romantic angle set between Zuko and Ty Lee. Look forward to it, faithful readers.**


	9. Chapter 9: Silent Night

**Chapter 09: Silent Night**

**Rating: K**

**Alright, so I promised a bump in rating, but that didn't quite happen. Not going to force it, but it will come eventually. Just not sure exactly when ^_^;; After taking a day off, here is chapter 9 for your reading pleasure. Ty Lee and Zuko spend their first night together after Zuko spills his guts about how he feels. Sweetness ensues, and Toph makes her first appearance. Read and enjoy, boys and girls.

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Making his way slowly down the wide avenue, Zuko felt himself smiling as he walked, taking in the sights of the small town once more. To see it at night was different than mid-day, and even more so after the short burst of heavy rain. All around him he could see the subtle glinting of moonlight in the murky puddles dotting the street. As he walked, he felt his feet sink into the ground with each step, the murky sound sounding quite amusing.

Normally he would not like trudging through layers of mud, did not like to feel the substance coating his feet. But as he turned his gaze to the brunette to his right, he felt the smile deepen a bit, his hand squeezing hers tightly. The girl must have noticed his gesture, as she turned towards him, smiling back to him in return.

The thoughts of the sticky mud and the young girl holding his hand seemed to come together, and he got a little idea. Tugging on the girl's arm tightly, he pulled her quickly towards him, bending just slightly as he scooped her into his arms. As she settled into his grasp, her now messy braid falling idly over his right arm, Ty Lee looked up owlishly at the older teen, blinking a few times in surprise.

"Sorry, but it is a gentleman's duty to make sure a woman doesn't get dirty, right?" he replied confidently, smiling as her slender arms gently snaked around his neck. "Normally it would just be setting a coat over a mud puddle, but the whole ground is a puddle, and I don't have that many clothes," he joked, his heart beating faster as he listened to her amused giggle.

"Oh, you're so sweet, Zuko. Just like a Prince," she cooed, kicking her feet lightly as they hung over his other arm. Pushing her forehead against his shoulder, she smiled wide, her smoky grey eyes closing as she focused on his form. She wanted to remember the feeling of his warm body, the light scent of burned wood still sticking to his body.

"Well, I was a prince once," he reminded her sarcastically, feeling her grip around his neck tighten just a bit.

As Zuko walked the remaining distance towards the younger girl's home, they joked a bit, bust mostly filling the time with an oddly enjoyable silence, each simply enjoying the other's presence. Zuko focusing on the softness of her body, blushing a bit nervously as he felt the two mounds of flesh pressing carelessly against his chest. Ty Lee savored the warmth, the strong feel of his body as his arms held her securely in their grip.

Neither paid attention to the last remnants of the crowd disappearing into their humble homes, nor to the sloppy sound of feet treading through thick mud. Gradually the dark clouds disappeared, leaving the shroud of darkest night surrounding the bright looking moon, its eerie glow casting down on the small village. Zuko felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked down at the young girl in his arms.

The pale light seemed to catch her face directly, giving her smooth skin an ethereal appearance, as though an angel or some spirit had replaced his longtime friend. He noticed the slight roundness of her cheeks, different than the angled features of his sister and Mai.

He smiled awkwardly as he gazed at her, feeling his body warm up as though he were fire bending. She held a different quality than the dangerous, precise beauty of Azula, or the elegant, regal kind of high class beauty of Mai. Ty Lee had something more mysterious. Something more down to Earth, something more innocent and sweet. Just looking at her, he figured she didn't wear makeup often, and didn't need to.

"Zuko, is something wrong with my face? You've been staring for a little while now," her soft, sweet voice broke his short trance, and he shook his head a bit as he tried to bring himself back to the present.

"Ah, I was just, uh, thinking that, um you're really… pretty," he admitted honestly, feeling like his face would explode from the stuttering of his voice. He felt a bit better as he watched her eyes widen in surprise, her gaze then shifting slightly away from the young Fire Lord.

"Umm, thanks, Zuko…" she whispered, a tone that Zuko knew meant she was slightly embarrassed, but happy at the same time. Finally, they approached the small thatched roof structure that would serve as their shared home for the next week during his visit. As Zuko approached the structure, he watched the girl's arm snake forward, reaching for the knob.

As the door swung open, Zuko steadily pressed inside, adjusting the light body in his arms so that she didn't bang her head on the frame. He breathed a bit of relief as he finally entered the home, glad that his awkwardness had not made an appearance. Letting the girl out of his arms, he watched her bounce on her feet, a little spattering of mud landing a short distance away.

But as she slipped the now mud soaked shoes off, Zuko noticed an energetic chuckle from the younger girl, and he felt his brow rise in confusion. Pulling the tie out of her hair, the young brunette let the chocolate colored locks fan out along her back, ruffling it with her hair as she giggled.

"What's so funny?" Zuko asked gruffly, slipping his own boots off and discarding them next to the front door. The girl's voice seemed to lighten as she looked at him, a single ray of moonlight piercing through the pane of glass that served as the window.

"Well, just now it was almost like we were entering a room," she paused briefly, and he could swear he saw her cheeks darken just a bit, "as a married couple," she finished, and Zuko felt that blush from earlier creep on him.

"Oh," was all he could manage, the thought passing idly through his head.

"Well, I guess I should clean up so I don't have any trouble sleeping," she said, excusing herself with a subtle bow. Still a bit surprised at her choice of words, he watched as the girl quickly disappeared into her room before slipping into the bathroom. Blinking a few times, he grumbled in frustration, but with an odd grin on his lips as he made his way towards the greenish sofa.

Letting himself fall heavily onto the soft cushioning, Zuko felt the breath escape his body all at once, his body aching from the harsh activities of that day. Opening his golden eyes, he gazed lazily towards the ceiling, his ears pricking just a bit with the gentle sound of running water. Remembering all the meditation he had done in his life, he closed his eyes, breathing in slowly, steadily to drown out the thoughts swimming in his head.

The smell of burning wood still hanging in his nostrils, he found himself drifting slowly off towards sleep, images of the young girl in the burning structure etched onto the backs of his eyelids. He could still feel the heat all around him, the flames licking at everything in sight, out of control. The feeling of relief as he came into contact with the cool air outside, and knowing that the girl had gotten lucky and suffered only minor injuries.

His mood lightened immensely, relieved that he had been able to save the young girl. The light feeling in his chest turned heavy, as he began to imagine how he might have felt if it had been one of his friends trapped within the heavy flames. How frantic he might have behaved if it were one of his loved ones. How desperate he might have become if it had been the girl he loved…

Clasping his right hand lazily atop his chest at that last thought, he hoped that such a time would never come. As he lay atop the soft cushioning of the sofa, Zuko listened to the soft sounds of cloth against skin, a playful grin crossing his face as he imagined what Ty Lee might look like beneath her clothing.

"Ah, what am I thinking?" he chuckled as he scolded himself, letting the thoughts linger for only a moment longer. Finally the door clicked open, and he heard the soft patter of feet on cool wood. The scent of strawberries filled his senses, and he felt just a little dizzy as his eyes shifted gradually towards the young brunette. He nearly choked on his own spit as he mixed up his breathing reflexes, coughing loudly to the amusement of his "host".

"Zuko, you have to be more careful. How embarrassing would it be to die by choking on your own saliva?" she teased, clutching lightly at her sides as she bent at the waist in laughter. Despite her teasing, Zuko could not break his gaze away from the girl, watching the soft black shirt hang to just below her hips, just the suggestion of her curves visible to his gaze.

He realized quickly that he was staring again, something he wondered if he would ever stop doing. Feeling a short relief that she was so preoccupied with her laughter, he said a silent thanks that he had not been caught in the act, and pulled himself onto his feet.

"I guess I should clean up too," he said as he passed the girl, her damp hair pulled into a simple ponytail. "But this looks pretty nice," he whispered, brushing his fingers gently along the soft hair. He could see the girl's body tighten up at his touch, and chuckled as he disappeared into the bathroom.

"Oh, well, see you tomorrow then, Zuko. Good night," she replied softly, unsure if her voice had reached him beyond the bathroom's door. Flipping happily onto her hands as she did from time to time, Ty Lee walked with her hands back towards her own room, feeling the blood flow nearly in reverse through her body.

The soft rushing sound of water echoed gently through the small home, like a slowly running river. Smiling to herself, she put more effort into her arms, hurtling into the air with her own natural grace. Landing gently on her feet, the young brunette reached into her dresser for a bright red towel, dabbing at her hair to dry it the last little bit. As she carefully rubbed the cottony fabric along her hair, she watched her subtle movements in the body mirror hanging from the wall.

Looking herself over, acrobatic young girl's ears pricked a bit as the sound of running water disappeared, quickly followed by a gentle click of the bathroom door. Touch drying the last strands of hair, the young girl turned her head in both directions, making certain that things were set. Nodding in satisfaction, she threw the now damp towel onto the top of the dresser, climbing slowly beneath the dark blue covers atop her soft bed.

Feeling her light body sink gently into the comfortable material, Ty Lee pulled her blanket up to just below her neck, nuzzling herself against the softness of her blue covered pillow. A soft sigh escaped her pink lips, and she let her eyes gently close themselves, anxious for a good night's sleep.

But as she lay beneath her covers, her feet began to move subconsciously, distracting her from the specter of sleep. Opening her smoky eyes, the brunette acrobat let her gaze drift about the room, watching the odd glow of moonlight against smooth wooden surfaces.

Lips pursing together in frustration, the young girl rolled onto her other side, trying once more to allow sleep to claim her. But after another few minutes, the same pattern was repeated, and her eyes again flew open in frustration. Roughly, she rolled onto her back, the bed suddenly not feeling as comfortable as it should, as it normally did.

"Maybe I'm just nervous," she reasoned with herself, feeling her dark brown hair tickling the back of her neck as she breathed, bangs framing her soft features as she lay in bed. The odd twitching of her feet continued, and she felt incredibly restless. The frown deepened as she thought about her situation, the thought of having a boy in the next room throwing her off just enough to make sleep difficult. Thoughts of the older teen's dark hair hanging messily around his face, not fully masking the large scar on his face slipped into her mind.

Then a grin appeared on her face as she threw the covers down towards the opposite end of the bed. Turning in bed, she let her feet drop against the cool wood of the floor, her body finally putting its fully weight on the appendages as she reached out for the thick blanket. Quietly she made her way towards the living room, wondering if Zuko had had any trouble falling asleep.

Lying prone on his back, Zuko felt the cool night air pass over his body, smiling to himself as he placed his hands atop his chest. The sofa was luckily quite comfortable, and figured he would have no trouble falling asleep. Soft breaths escaped his lips as he felt sleep begin to tug at his senses, darkness encompassing his vision more and more.

Yet, as he lay atop the sofa's cushion, he heard a second sound make its way slowly into the large room. Brows knit together in focus as he listened intently to the soft footsteps, before falling in amusement, his grin turning amused as he listened to Ty Lee "sneaking" up on him.

After a few moments, the footsteps stopped just behind the sofa, and Zuko wondered what she might be doing in the living room. His curiosity was answered as he heard a soft groan of effort pass through soft lips, followed by a heavy pressure on his legs as she took a seat on top of him. Opening his eyes, he noticed a heavy blue blanket draped across her shoulders, hanging down over her slender frame, blocking out the few traces of moonlight from his view.

"Something I can help you with, Ty Lee?" he asked playfully, hearing her whine in disappointment that he had been awake the whole time.

"Aww, you're no fun, Zuko," she pouted, cheeks puffed out a bit as she stared down at him. Letting the blanket fall more tightly around her, she noticed the moonlight illuminate the older teen's prone form. His red sleep shirt hung open a bit, revealing a second large burn mark near the center of his chest. A gasp of concern passed through her lips, as she reached towards the thick spot of skin.

"Zuko, is this from…" she began, watching as his eyes widened in surprise before softening, his right hand joining hers atop his chest, sliding the shirt open a bit more.

"Oh, yeah. That's from Azula's lightning," he responded, his body tensing just a bit at the cool touch of her soft hand against the injured spot. It was just another remnant of the war he would carry with him forever, a reminder of the good he had done to make up for some small part of the wrongs he had done.

"This was a pretty bad injury, right? If it had been even a little bit to the left," she began, catching the reminiscent look on Zuko's face. Pulling her hand from his warm body, she kept her gaze locked on the burn scar.

"Yeah. I could have died," he whispered, smiling just a bit as he spoke. Ty Lee could feel a little crack form on her heart, thinking of just how close Zuko had been to dying, lamenting that she had not been there to help him when he might have needed it the most.

"You're such a jerk, Zuko. You can't be so careless with yourself, you know?" she asked sweetly, sighing softly as he reached up, entwining their fingers together.

"I know. But I guess it's just not in me to take it easy and let things go," he answered, playing idly with the younger girl's fingers with his own. The soft smoothness of them made him smile, slowly increasing the force of his fingers. Ty Lee seemed to catch onto his motives, and returned the gesture, their fingers quickly battling one another for dominance.

"So competitive, too," she teased, feeling the long ponytail hitting against her back as her head swayed in concentration. Spurred on by Zuko's confident smirk, the young girl refused to let him simply have his way. But after a few minutes, his natural strength proved too much for her, and she yielded, blowing on her fingers for some relief from the strain.

"Ty Lee, aren't you worried?" he asked, drawing a confused look from the young brunette.

"What do you mean, Zuko?" she asked in return, flowery voice teasing him just a little bit. Following his gaze, she smirked down at him, slowly reaching towards the bottom edge of her large black shirt. She barely suppressed a soft giggle as she slowly began to tug on the soft material, watching as he seemed to fumble with something to say.

"W-wait, Ty Lee, w-w-what are you…" he stuttered, eyes averting their gaze as the black garment flew up her lithe frame, the edge resting just below her nicely developed chest. His naïve reaction made it harder to hold in her giggle, and as the sound of laughter passed through her lips, Zuko allowed his gaze to shift back to the younger teen.

"Aww, you're so cute, Zuko. But these are pretty cute shorts, right?" Beneath the black shirt, Ty Lee had been wearing what had to be the smallest pair of shorts that could possible still be called shorts. Frustrated with her bit of teasing, the teen Fire Lord let his eyes roam over the newly exposed bits of skin.

"You call those shorts?" he asked playfully, his fingers brushing lightly across her toned stomach. The girl's body tightened a bit as she shivered, a light gasp escaping her lips. "But, they are cute, even if they don't really cover anything," he continued, smirking as she began to writhe on top of him.

"W-well, they're j-just for sleeping," she explained, trying to ignore the pleasant feelings passing through her stomach and chest. Ty Lee almost felt disappointed as his fingers removed themselves from her smooth body, her lungs trying to regain their normal breathing rate.

"And, why aren't you sleeping? Having nightmares?" he asked more seriously, smiling reassuringly at the girl as she looked down at him. Adjusting her position, Ty Lee sat cross legged on his thighs, as though it were a natural place to sit in.

"I don't think so. Just feel kind of restless, so I thought maybe we could talk until I fall asleep," she added cheerfully, leaving the older boy a bit surprised. Once the implication logged itself into his mind, he reached up, lightly poking the girl on the forehead.

"Suit yourself, 'circus freak'," he spoke somewhat sarcastically, placing his hands behind his head as he watched the girl hold the blanket tighter around her slender frame. "So, what do you want to know?" he asked directly, honey colored eyes not leaving her soft, warm body.

"What do you mean?"

"I figured you must have some questions in your head after tonight," he explained rationally, watching as the bubbly young girl pressed a finger to her chin in thought. After a moment of possibly exaggerated deliberation, the girl smiled, leaning own a bit towards him as she asked her first question.

"So, how long have you known?" she asked a bit nervously, biting her lip gently as she looked down at him.

"Known what?" he asked dumbly.

"That you, you know, to me…" she asked confusedly, more nervous than she had meant it to sound. Zuko mimicked her exaggerated thinking gesture, watching the girl fidget a bit on top of him.

"I don't know. I guess it started the other day when I saw you sparring with Suki, but I didn't know for sure until today," he responded, thinking back over the past couple of days.

"What makes you think you really do?" she asked again, her fidgetting increasing as she asked, watching his face light with a contented sort of smile.

"Your smile," he answered, placing his right palm firmly on her left cheek. "It's really infectious, almost annoying at times," he began, the girl's face contorting into one of hurt as he spoke, not liking his brutally honest tone of voice, "but it's really pretty," he concluded, feeling her cheeks pull into a smile as he finished.

"Is that all?" she asked sarcastically, earning a light pinch from the older teen.

"Nope, but you'll have to find out the rest of it on your own," he answered teasingly, feeling his body becoming warm with his proximity to the energetic young girl.

"So, what about Mai?" she asked seriously, both teens stopping with the mention of the other girl. Looking into Ty Lee's eyes, Zuko could tell that the girl was worried about her friend, a look of guilt in her hazy spheres.

"I don't know," he answered honestly, letting his hand drop from her soft cheek, hanging idly at his side. "I wish I knew just what to say, just what to do to make everyone happy, but it seems all I can do is make people upset," he lamented, smirking dryly at his seemingly poor luck at dealing with other people.

"Zuko, Mai loves you," Ty Lee responded, running her right hand along Zuko's cheek, mirroring his own gesture. "So, I can't get in between you two," she said glumly, her thumb running tenderly over the hardened skin of his disfiguring scar.

"What about you, Ty Lee?" he asked roughly, placing his hands firmly on her shoulders.

"W-what do you mean?" she asked in turn, a bit frightened by his sudden forcefulness. He breath caught for a moment as he shifted on the sofa, pulling himself into a sitting position with the young girl firmly planted on his lap. His ferocious golden eyes flashed with his pure emotion as he looked into her own eyes, making her blush with the intensity of his gaze.

"What do you want, Ty Lee?" he asked, his voice nearly a shout as her eyes widened in surprise. "You're spent all your time just doing what other people want. Following Azula like a little puppy, giving up your crush on Sokka, quitting the circus, I wonder if you've ever made a hard decision on your own before," he finished, loosening his grip on the girl's shoulders as he leaned back a bit trying to calm himself down.

"Zuko," she whispered, feeling the tears beginning to poke at the backs of her eyes, hands clasped together in front of her now quivering lips. She watched as Zuko turned away from her, frustrated that he had lost his cool as he had.

"Sorry, Ty Lee. Maybe I should find somewhere else to sleep," he said, removing himself from beneath the younger girl. Turning his legs out from the sofa, he stood onto his feet, casting a sidelong glance at the brunette. But as he took a step towards the front door, he felt a small tug on the back of his red sleep shirt. Turning around slowly, he was met with a hurt puppy dog kind of look, and he felt a pang in his heart again.

"Wait, Zuko," she began, taking a deep breath as she looked into his deep gold eyes. "Just wait, Zuko," she spoke again, removing her hand from his shirt as he sat back down on the sofa, his eyes resting on her as she placed her hands gently in her lap.

"What is it, Ty Lee?" he asked, curious as to what she would say.

"I-I'm sorry for not speaking up more often," she began, her body slumping a bit as she spoke, mind thinking back to her time growing up. "I just always wanted people to like me," she admitted, earning an understanding look from Zuko.

"I get that, Ty Lee. You're not the first person to do some stupid things because you worried about what someone would think," he added to what she had said, his own life experiences giving him first hand experience with that.

"But, I don't want to lose you too, Zuko," she said softly, the tears nipping at the corners of her eyes. Clasping her hands over her eyes, she tried to will the tears to stop, laughing at her own sad state as she cried.

"I'm so pathetic, I can't even stand up for myself, and I just end up hurting my friends," she cried, calming just a bit as Zuko awkwardly threw his arms around her, pulling her tightly against his strong chest.

"Well, it's never too late, you know? But you have to ask yourself 'what do I want?', you have to think about things yourself," he spoke, remembering the words his uncle had once given him. He hoped that things would go better this time.

"Y-you think so?" she asked, sniffling as she lifted her head, staring into his warm eyes as he nodded in affirmation.

"Never too la-" he was stopped as the young brunette pressed her sweet lips against his, her body pushing against him roughly. Zuko was caught by surprise by the suddenness of her actions, and felt himself fall backwards onto the sofa. After a moment, the young girl pulled back, hands resting on the sofa on either side of his head.

"Then, I want you, Zuko," she answered shyly, blushing heavily with the directness of her words. "Ah, but not l-like that, I meant, you know," she was hushed as Zuko placed another kiss to her sweet lips, not allowing her to explain herself.

"I know what you mean, Ty Lee," he answered as he pulled his lips from hers, his arms pulling her down on top of him then pulling the blanket over both of them. As Ty Lee snuggled against him, he placed his right arm across her back, holding her firmly against him.

"We'll talk more tomorrow, alright?" he asked, smiling as he felt her head moving gently against his chest as she nodded. A quick kiss to the top of her head, and Zuko felt his eyes flutter closed, sleep taking him quickly.

Yet, as Zuko's chest settled into a steady breathing rhythm, Ty Lee turned her head a bit, looking up at the Fire Lord's strong face. A smile crossed her lips, holding firmly as she nuzzled against his chest.

"I love you, Zuko," she whispered, sleep visiting her quickly as her eyes closed for the night.

***************

The following morning, as the Sun's rays replaced the soft glow of the moon, all the village woke from their night of slumber, anxious to start the new day. Word spread quickly that the Avatar had graced their village with his presence once again. His group of friends each gathered in the meeting hall at the top of the hill, save for two noticeable absences.

"Where's Toph?" Sokka was the first to ask his sister and her love interest, Aang. Aang rubbed the back of his neck nervously as Katara huffed.

"She said she was too 'busy' to come with us, but she might come by if she felt like it. I swear, it's like we're not even friends," the tanned girl spoke, annoyed with the sometimes irritatingly defiant attitude of the little earth bender.

"'Busy' with what?" Sokka asked curiously, leaning forward at the table, a bit of food spilling from his mouth.

"She said she was looking for someone, but wouldn't go into any more explanation," Katara continued, smacking her brother on the back of his head for lack of manners.

"Hmm, I wonder who she could be looking for," Suki wondered, her green eyes wandering about the hall. "And, where's Zuko?" she asked, a wolfish grin on Sokka's face.

"I was just wondering that myself. Maybe we should all go see how the poor Fire Lord is doing," he added, a sense of mischief filling the room.

"It's unusual for Zuko to sleep in, so maybe something is wrong," Katara said, a hint of worry in her voice. A nod from the others and they headed out, slowly making their way through the throng of cheering people.

"Wow, seems like people are pretty lively," Aang murmured into his older friend's ear, earning a slap on the back from the Water Tribe boy.

"Well, people are always looking for a reason to party, and now they have two, so of course they're excited," he explained happily, looking forward to the probably festivities later in the day.

"Sounds like fun, Sokka. Think Zuko will show up?" Aang asked nervously, amused chuckles all around at the image of socially awkward Zuko as the center of attention at a party.

"Oh, he will show, I guarantee it," Sokka said playfully, as the quartet approached Ty Lee's home. Wanting to be the first to potentially embarrass the young man, Sokka darted ahead, propping the door open as sunlight flooded the living room. "Hey sleepyhead, rise… and… shine…" the sight was not quite what he had been expecting, and after a few embarrassed blinks, the dark skinned boy turned away from the door, closing it carefully behind him as he walked back to the group.

"Is he not inside?" Aang asked, concerned for the state of his friend. Sokka simply shook his head numbly, a teasing grin gradually finding its way to his face.

"Oh, no, he's most certainly inside," he said, sly grin plastered across his face. The innuendo of his words were not lost on the two girls among them, who looked to one another with amused smiles.

"Ah, maybe we can give him a little more time," Katara spoke innocently, earning a nod from the other girl.

"Give who a little more time?" A familiar, direct voice pierced the silence among the group as the little earth bender made her way towards them, brushing off a bit of dust from her shirt. Sokka and Katara looked at one another, then at the younger girl, each with the same thought.

'_This is going to get a bit rough,'_ Neither having any desire to be Zuko on this particular day. They just hoped he wouldn't end up shoving his foot too far into his own mouth. After all, the death of the Fire Lord at the hands of a well respected earth bender would not do any to help relations between the nations.

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**Definitely implied here that Katara and Sokka know something, and it involves the benders for fire and earth. What could they be thinking? Hopefully another chapter tomorrow, and it will be mostly humorous stuff, people, but with a bit of drama. Not too much, I hope. **


	10. Chapter 10: Confrontational Teasing

**Chapter 10: Confrontational Teasing**

**Rating: K**

**Ah, here is the apparently much anticipated Toko moments. Just the beginnings of it, really. Ty Lee gets very little screen time this chapter. Probably going to be like 3 parts featuring the Toko: this one, the next one where Zuko figures it out (with some explanation from Katara and Sokka) and then a bit of catfighting between Ty Lee and Toph. Let me know if I butchered Toph here, so I can fix it and not make the same mistakes in future attempts. That said, enjoy the chapter (I guess? )

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**

"Oh, we're just waiting for Zuko to wake up," Aang answered happily, bowing respectfully to his earth bending teacher.

"So, Zuko's in there?" the raven haired young girl asked, just a trace of nervousness on her voice.

"Yeah. But, Sokka said it would be alright to give him a little more time," Aang added, his own confusion evident as he spoke.

"Oh, really?" Toph asked in challenge, smirking evilly as she looked in the direction of the water tribe boy.

"W-well, yeah. You know, it wouldn't be good to disturb a fire bender in their sleep. Things are liable to catch on fire," Sokka excused, miming the hand gestures of an explosion.

"Hmm. Sounds like you're hiding something, but what could it be…" Toph murmured, standing up on her tip toes as she looked directly into Sokka's deep blue eyes. Despite her blindness, her eyes could be very emotive, and as she narrowed her eyes at the older boy, she felt his body tense up just a little.

"Oh, come on Toph. Maybe your lie detector is messed up from the rain," he joked, shrugging his shoulders as he backed away from the younger girl. Sokka watched as the girl wiggled her toes in the still light layer of mud.

"I guess that could be it," she responded, taking a seat on the porch of Ty Lee's home as she wiggled her feet in the air. "So how long do you think it'll be before the hothead is up and about?" she asked playfully, resting on her palms as she leaned back.

"Who knows? But he looked pretty comfortable," Sokka joked, earning a quick jab in the ribs from his sister's elbow. "I mean, he looked pretty worn out. He had a busy day yesterday," he changed his story, rubbing the now sore spot on his stomach.

"He had a busy day?" Toph asked curiously, hearing Sokka's voice become less goofy, more of a caring, worried tone.

"Yeah. He actually almost died," Sokka added, leaning against the post in front of the acrobat's home. Arms folded across his chest, he explained what had happened, Aang and Katara also listening intently to the situation. He decided to leave out the parts about Ty Lee for that particular time, figuring the cat would be out of the bag soon enough.

As she listened to the story, Toph felt a mixture of happiness and concern, knowing that it was completely in Zuko's nature to be so self sacrificing at times. She felt a bit of happiness knowing that he had not seemed to change much if at all in their time apart.

"So, he's going to be fine?" she asked once Sokka finished his story, feeling a sense of relief as he affirmed the notion. But as she thought about the story, something in particular seemed to stick in her head.

"Hey, Aang?" she asked, drawing his attention towards her.

"What is it Toph?" he replied a bit nervously, and she smirked in her standard teasing manner.

"How is your lightning bending?" she felt his head turn towards Katara, both bodies tensing up a bit at her question.

"W-what do you mean?" Aang asked again nervously, feeling Sokka and Suki also begin to stare at him.

"Aww, come on, you were so excited about it before, so you must have gotten pretty good at it," she teased, barely holding back a fit of laughter at his nervous fidgeting.

"I-it's nothing too impressive," he answered sheepishly, looking to his girlfriend for some help with the situation.

"Y-you know how it goes, sometimes you get it right, and sometimes you don't," she added helpfully, her own voice soaked with a tone of guilt.

"What did you do?" Sokka asked seriously, narrowing his eyes as he approached the young Avatar.

"Actually, last night before we got here, I was trying to do some lightning bending, and it was the first time I had gotten it right. I wasn't trying to do any damage, so I just shot it in a random direction, and it might have accidentally caused the little accident last night," he replied with guilt, head bowed down to the ground.

Suki and Sokka looked at each other in surprise, before turning their attention back to the Avatar and his girl. Each bowed in apology over their apparent involvement in such a dangerous situation.

"Y-you mean…"

"… it wasn't just a freak act of nature?" Suki continued from Sokka's line of questioning, horrified by the prospect. A loud gulp from Aang seemed to affirm that it was a possibility, and the water tribe boy closed dangerously on the younger kid.

The scene then quickly devolved into a series of shouts and apologies, as Sokka began to chase the young Avatar around, waving his machete over his head as the younger boy ran as quickly as he could. Toph, for her part, simply sat back, laughing her head off as they ran around.

"God, can't you let a guy sleep in peace?" Zuko grumbled, rubbing the sleep from his good eye as he walked out the front door to the home he was currently sharing with a certain Fire Nation acrobat.

"Zuko! You're alright!" Aang shouted happily, running towards the older boy in relief and guilt. As the bald boy barreled towards him, Zuko simply side stepped the hug, wincing as the Avatar went headfirst into the doorframe to the small house.

"Of course I'm alright. What's the commotion about?" he asked curiously, ruffling his hair with his right hand as he watched the group look from one to another, before all eyes rested on him.

"Well, I think Aang has something he's like to apologize for," Sokka volunteered for the younger boy, watching the kid rub his head where he had wanged it a second earlier.

"Really? What could you have to apologize for?" Zuko asked incredulously, leaning indifferently against the front of the house.

"For yesterday. It was all my fault, I should never have used lighting so recklessly," he whined, prostrating himself before the current Fire Lord for forgiveness, leaving Zuko to simply blink in surprise.

"Hmm, I guess it's no surprise that you've picked up lightning bending, but what does that have to do with me?" he asked seriously, sensing a hint of confusion in the group.

"Well, if I hadn't shot it, the storehouse wouldn't have gone up like that, and you wouldn't have been in danger," Aang added, confused at Zuko's seeming lack of understanding.

"But that was just a freak act of nature, how could you be responsible for it?"

"Because I was the one that shot the bolt of lighting," Aang explained, feeling less certain of his involvement than a second earlier.

"So, you were pointing it directly towards the building?"

"Well, no, but…" as Aang thought about it, everyone turned their sights on the young earth bender, who simply laughed loudly.

"Oh twinkle toes, you're so easy. Even I know that lighting isn't THAT powerful," she teased, feeling the others tense up in annoyance as her poor joke.

"Aang, lighting only travels in a roughly straight line, and only goes as far as the amount of energy you put into it. Seeing as it's you, I would assume that if you did it, it was kind of half hearted, and disappeared after a short distance, yeah?" Zuko asked, earning an acknowledging nod from the young air bender. "So, my guess is that Toph here was just having some fun with you, which you make it way too easy to do," he finished, hiking his right thumb at the young earth bender.

"Hmph, nice to see you too, Princess," Toph joked, turning her head away from the young Fire nation teen.

Pushing off of the outside of the house, Zuko walked over to the young earth bender, and Suki and Aang each tensed up for a moment, fearing that Zuko might be about to take some new injuries. They watched as he closed towards the younger girl, crouching in front of her.

"I think you need to apologize," he said simply, running his hands roughly through her dark locks. Expecting him to be launched into the ocean, the unknowing pair was dumbfounded, as the free-spirited girl simply smiled, her gaze shifting to the wet ground near her feet.

"Alright, princess mushy. Sorry for upsetting you, twinkle toes," Toph apologized, arms still crossed tightly against her chest. She looked a bit disappointed as Zuko pulled his hand from its perch atop her head, his legs straightening into a standing position.

"Oh, it's, uh nothing…" Aang stuttered a bit, looking curiously at the young fire bender. He seemed to sense the questioning glares from the Kyoshi Warrior and Avatar, as Zuko's body instinctively tensed as he took a step onto the damp ground.

"Alright, what's with the stares?" he asked in an annoyed manner, brows knitting together as he looked from one person to the other.

"How come you're not floating in the ocean right now?" Suki blurted out, raising her own brow as Toph blushed a bit, turning her head further away from the Fire Nation's leader.

"Hey, you say it like I did something wrong," he began, wondering why they were making it seem as though he had tamed some wild beast.

"I don't get it either, sparky. They must have just eaten something bad for breakfast," Toph added sarcastically, hoping they hadn't caught the light tint of pink on her cheeks.

"Well, as long as everything is alright, how about some breakfast, Mister Hero?" Sokka asked, earning approving nods from the others.

"Mister Hero?" Zuko asked nervously, not liking where the younger boy's ideas might be leading.

"Well, of course. You're like the new hero of this island after you saved poor little Ki Rei," Sokka sung somewhat mockingly, but with clear undertones of respect. "So, the villagers want to throw you a party, also to celebrate the second visit of Avatar Aang," Sokka added, waving his hands as though presenting the Avatar to the group.

"I'm honored that they want to do that, but there's no reason for it," Zuko tried to think of a way to decline the prospect of attending such a gathering. "It really wasn't anything that major. Anyone else would have done it, I'm sure," he spoke uncertainly, recognizing himself that it had been a genuine, selfless act. But he was uncomfortable with being rewarded for such a thing.

"Hmm, then how about you just think of it as a party for the 'Saviors of the World', and just hang out and accept the thanks of the people instead?" Sokka suggested, slinking over towards the young fire bender, throwing a brotherly arm around the teen's neck.

"Ugh," Zuko groaned, feeling that there would be no way out of it when it was put like that. "But nothing too big, alright?" he acquiesced, face falling into disappointment as he caught the look of glee on the younger boy's face. Everyone among them seemed excited at the prospect of a party, and he had a feeling it was mostly to see him somehow embarrass himself.

"Aww, come on Sparky, I'm sure you won't put your foot in your mouth too deep," the black haired girl teased, smirking as Zuko took a seat next to the younger girl.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," he responded sarcastically, rolling his eyes at the likelihood of him embarrassing himself. Leaning harshly against the post opposite the young earth bender, he watched as the other animatedly discussed the prospects of the party, smiling despite his discomfort over the idea.

"You did a good thing, so it's alright to accept the accolades, you know? People always like to celebrate a good deed," Toph tried to comfort the young Fire Lord, smiling as she felt the warmth of his body in the air between them.

"It just doesn't feel right. Makes it seem like I did it for a reason other than because it was the right thing," Zuko spoke softly, snickering as he watched Sokka trip over himself, landing face first in the mud.

"Hey, you had a pretty hard time before, but even you deserve some happiness and joy, don't you think?" Toph continued, feeling her face warm a bit as she listened to his soft laughter.

"Thanks, Toph. But if Sokka actually plans it like he said, it'll be just as much your party as mine, you know?" he added, surprising the girl a bit with his statement.

"Well, that's understandable. People really should celebrate the world's greatest earth bender," Toph smirked once more, feeling her full swelling of confidence, a confidence that bordered on unbearable cockiness.

"Just don't get a big head. There's always someone capable of beating you, you know," Zuko teased, gazing indifferently out towards the sea.

"Oh? Anyone I know that thinks they can beat me?" Toph challenged, upset at the notion that she was anything but the most talented bender in the world.

"I bet you couldn't beat Aang," Zuko chimed, smiling at the frustrated click of her tongue at the mention of the Avatar.

"That doesn't count, he's the freaking Avatar," she excused, feeling that frustration from their only other fight. It stuck as her only real loss, a feeling she found extremely irritating. "So, anyone besides Twinkle Toes?" she joked, hoping Zuko would take her bit of bait.

"I know a couple people," he added noncommittally, feeling his smirk deepen at the slightly frustrated sounds from the younger girl.

"Oh yeah? And who are these 'couple people'?" she asked, leaning dangerously towards him.

"Well, I bet you'd have a tough time against Azula if she ever got her head back on right," Another click of frustration as Toph thought back to the time she had fought Azula alongside Aang and Sokka on the Day of Black Sun. Being toyed with was not something she was used to, and it was definitely not something she enjoyed.

"I guess talent doesn't run in the family," the girl teased, hoping for an emotional outburst from the older teen. He simply chuckled dryly, letting his arm hang loosely over his knee as he pulled it towards his chest.

"Maybe not," he admitted honestly, surprising the black haired girl. "She was always was the best at everything, it was just a shame she got caught in the same cycle I was stuck in for so long," he continued somewhat sadly, feeling a deep sense of frustration over the seemingly unavoidable fate of his younger sister.

"Hey, don't go all mopey on me now, Zuko. She made her decisions, and she has to live with them. You made yours, and they turned out right for once, so don't dwell on the past," she warned him, looking intently in his direction.

"I know. I just can't help but wonder sometimes, what might have happened if I had stayed by my father's side. Would I even be here today?" he reflected, turning his gaze up towards the sky, watching as the Sun slowly crawled across the sky.

"You seem different somehow. What gives?" Toph asked curiously, sensing that something good must have happened.

"You noticed it too, huh? Everyone keeps saying I've changed, so I guess it must be true. I guess I just finally decided to stop and take a look around, to notice the things around me, you know?" he responded easily, feeling the happiness in his voice as he spoke.

"Well, it's a good change. Just don't go around being all unbearably happy like Aang or that bubble head, Ty Lee," Toph teased, eliciting an amused chuckle from the young man.

"Don't worry, I'm not quite that positive," he admitted, feeling his smile warm as he thought about the bubbly brunette. "But sometimes it doesn't seem so bad," he added, resting the back of his head against the post. A light breeze blew in from the sea, the slightly salty air messing with his hair, sending his loose fitting sleep shirt fluttering around his body.

"Good to know. So, who is the other person?" Toph asked directly, still wondering who else could possibly beat her.

"Ty Lee," he spoke simply, finding his voice lightening as the two words slipped through his lips.

"Ty Lee!?" Toph asked loudly, curious as to where Zuko could come up with such a statement. "Really? I suppose next you'll be saying that fan-girl here could take me, no offense Suki," Toph continued, pulling herself to her feet as she stared down at the young Fire Lord.

"Well, I wouldn't go quite that far, no offense Suki," Zuko answered honestly, looking up into the foggy mint green eyes of the young earth bender, bowing his head in the direction of the Kyoshi Warrior's leader in apology.

"Then what makes you think I couldn't take that little bubble headed goofball? I mean, she's like the female version of Sokka," A shudder of thought ran through the group present at the thought, save for Sokka himself who was rather intrigued by the idea.

"Well, I do think I would be that good looking if I were a woman," A loud whack to the back of his head by his girl got him to stop that line of thought right away, and the group began to slowly approach the now irritated earth bender.

"C-come on Toph, it's nothing that major, right?" Aang tried to calm the girl down, eyes widening in surprise as he sunk quickly into the sloppy earth below.

"So, you really think I can't take her with her little chi-blocking techniques?" Toph asked, challenging Zuko's assertion that Ty Lee was better than she was.

"Well, I don't know for sure," Zuko responded truthfully, slowly bringing himself to his feet. As he dusted off his black pants, he noticed a look of determination on the earth bender's face, her black bangs hanging lazily in front of her sightless green eyes. "But, if she got serious, I don't think you would have an easy time of it," the teenager answered, casually stretching his arms out over his head.

"How noncommittal of you, Pansy Lord," Toph teased, smirking as she began her next round of baiting. "At leas you didn't say you could take me," A subtle twitch of his body told her that she had gotten to him, and she figured it would be time to see a bit of old Zuko. "That would just be ridiculous," she finished, poking the young royal in his chest, her finger pressing right on the scar in the center of his chest.

"No, I just don't go around talking about how great I am, unlike _some_ people," Zuko shot back, somewhat childishly, though intentionally. He knew how to get under her skin just as well as she could get under everyone else's.

"So, you do think you could take me. How interesting. I've always wanted to fight the great Fire _Prince_ Zuko," she teased, taking a few steps out into the center avenue before settling into her familiar bending pose.

"Sounds like a good way to warm up for the day," Zuko replied teasingly, rolling the last cricks of tension from his shoulder from holding the soft frame of Ty Lee against him for the entire night.

Just as he took a few steps towards the young earth bender, the front door clicked open once again, the peppy brunette pacing gently into the warm morning's sun.

"Oh, good morning, everybody. Wow, it's nice to see you all," she sang, her smoky grey eyes drifting from one person to another, taking in the scene in front of her. Sokka was consoling his girlfriend, rubbing her back reassuringly as she fumed about being insulted.

Katara and Aang had their eyes focused on the street, and as she caught the sight they were staring at, Ty Lee felt a burst of happiness. Seeing Zuko staring down the little earth bender, the girl leapt towards him, closing the few feet between them easily as she took a position in his arms.

"Geez, that's mean Zuko, just leaving without saying anything," she whined playfully, kissing his good cheek in greeting.

Sokka and Katara looked at one another in understanding, thinking that the crap was about to hit the proverbial fan.

"Oh, hi there Toph, it's nice to see you," she spoke happily, eyes widening in confusion at the seemingly stunned face on the earth bender. Zuko caught sight of it as well, wondering where all her competitiveness had vanished to so quickly.

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**Zuko's got some 'splainin to do. Of course, he's probably just as clueless about that sort of thing as the other guys about girls having a crush on him. Hopefully I get the next part done tomorrow, because I do want to get back into the fluffy Ty Luko scenes. But, there will be more Toko next two chapters, so look foward to that, and any thoughts on how it came out would be appreciated. Toph is definitely the hardest character to write in this series, save for maybe Sokka. Until next time, people.**


	11. Chapter 11: Emotional Feelings

**Chapter 11: Emotional Feelings**

**Rating: K**

***collapses onto knees in exhaustion* This one was the hardest chapter to write of this story, mostly because I really wanted to get it done today. This is the Toph vs Ty Lee chapter, and it turns out a bit different than I had originally planned (as they all seem to). Confusing feelings, and some hurt at the end. Let me know how it came out, dear readers. Enjoy.

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"Toph, you alright?" Zuko asked concernedly, brows knitted together as he took a few steps towards the younger girl. Ty Lee slipped from Zuko's arms, standing next to her old friend, watching the black haired girl's face. Zuko reached out towards the shorter girl, her body jumping backwards in near panic as his hand came into contact with her forehead.

"W-what is it, Princess?" she huffed, trying to play off her obvious discomfort with the situation. Being blind, she failed to notice the confused, worried look on Zuko's face. Turning her sightless gaze towards the bubbly brunette, she felt the older girl cock her head to the side in concern.

"You alright, Toph? You look kind of pale," she suggested, lips pursed sweetly as she spoke.

"Oh, I'm fine," Toph responded, right hand waving dismissively in front of her face. "I was just a bit surprised. It seemed like you and moody boy here were having a little bit of a moment," she laughed, brushing a few stray bangs out of her mint-green eyes.

"A moment?" Zuko and Ty Lee asked in unison, looking at each other then back to the blind earth bender.

"Yeah, you know, one of those sweethearts kind of things," her laugh faded as she felt their bodies tense up, her smile fading as she noticed the two of them fidgeting a bit in place.

"Oh, sorry to do that kind of thing in public, but it's just so sweet when Zuko gets all embarrassed and blushy," Ty Lee sung sweetly, her chocolate colored ponytail swaying gently as she turned her head towards the older boy.

"I didn't blush," Zuko lied, his jaw clenching just a bit at the realization that he and Ty Lee had embraced in public only a moment earlier.

"Aww, you did too," Ty Lee teased, Zuko looking quickly away from the younger girl.

"Well, isn't this sweet," Toph intruded as the pair went back and forth, finally drawing their attention back to her. "I guess since you're the Fire Lord you think you can just do whatever you want, right? I thought you were better than that, Zuko," she spoke, an icy tone on her voice as she said his name.

"What does that mean?" Zuko asked, his curiosity piqued by her cold tone.

"Heh, what does it mean? It means you're a lucky guy, Zuko. I mean, scoring two girls at once? Pretty impressive. I wonder if even Sokka could have done such a thing," Toph spoke, bitterness and a hint of hurt on her voice. Sokka fidgeted as the girls present each looked at him, Suki with an accusing look that promised a long talk later.

"It's nothing. I'll tell you later," Sokka excused, hoping that his promise of an explanation would soothe his girl. She simply huffed quietly, turning her gaze back to the three currently locked in their argument.

"It's not about that. I mean, I didn't come here for that," Zuko picked up where Toph had left off, his heart filled with guilt over what this would do to Mai.

"Really? Then you mean to tell me that out of all the places you could have picked, you picked the place where bubbles here happens to live?" Toph accused, hands resting firmly on her hips as she felt him squirm in position.

"Well, it was the closest place with one of my friends living there. The fact that Sokka and Suki also live here was also pretty nice," he explained, trying to keep his tone even, to prevent the girl from thinking he was lying.

"So you say. Did you think about your current responsibilities when you decided to have your little fling? What about your girlfriend, huh?" Toph continued, closing the distance between herself and the Fire Lord slowly, steadily.

"Of course he did," Ty Lee responded, stepping in front of her friend. Hands resting on her own hips, she watched the younger girl stop, the two staring "eye to eye". Zuko felt a little chill run down his spine at the scene, and he wished to the gods that he were elsewhere at the moment.

"And how would you know?" Toph asked accusingly, cracking her knuckles loudly as she "watched" the older girl.

"Because I know Zuko," Ty Lee said, smiling as she looked quickly back at the older boy, who smiled warmly back at her. "Sometimes he worries too much about other people, and he's reckless, and he's got a little bit of a temper at times, but deep down, he always feels bad when he hurts someone." As Ty Lee rattled off all the qualities about Zuko she could name, she felt her smile deepen a bit, her heart swelling with joy.

"Wow. That was fast. How did you think that up so quickly?" Toph asked, surprised that the older girl could think of so much in defense of her own apparent crush.

"It's easy because it's all true. He just loses sight of it himself sometimes," she whispered, her voice only landing on the ears of the boy in question, and the dangerous looking earth bender.

"Tch. Like I don't know that…" Toph mumbled in frustration, her hands hanging limply down at her sides. Exhaling a deep breath, she turned her attention squarely to the older teen behind the girl. "But who's to say he won't just change his mind again?"

"Hmm, I guess I really don't _know_ for sure," Ty Lee answered simply, right index finger resting against her shin as she seemed to think for a moment. "But, I trust him," she answered, smiling brightly at the younger girl, even though she couldn't see it. Toph chuckled a bit at the frankness of the answer, feeling the girl's total confidence from her body.

"Oh yeah, how could I forget," Toph said, forcing a smile to her face as she felt the girl's body loosen up a bit, "you're the endlessly optimistic girl." It hurt her somewhere deep in her heart, having a second crush go down in flames twice. But she knew somehow that it would be different with the more socially well endowed acrobat.

"It's always good to be positive about life, you know? I mean, we have so much good going on in the world, so it's alright to appreciate it and make the best of things, right?" she spoke, her voice dripping with pure sugary sweetness. "It is good to see you again, Toph," Ty Lee sung sweetly, throwing her slender arms around the shorter young girl.

"Yeah, yeah, everyone missed me terribly," she answered, wriggling free of the happy girl. "Hmm, but you did remind me of something Zuko here said a little while ago," she belted, snickering as Zuko nearly choked on himself, realizing where the girl's mind was going.

"Oh? What did he say? Something good I hope," Ty Lee chirped, bouncing back and forth from the balls of her feet to the heels and back. She watched the younger girl smirk confidently, and she felt a hint of danger.

"Well, he said that you," here she paused to point to the red clad girl, "could beat me in a spar," she finished, pointing to herself.

"Really?" Ty Lee asked excitedly, turning towards the older boy as he sighed in abject defeat.

"Yeah, I did," he said gently, hoping that Toph wouldn't go that last step to prove it.

"Aww, that's sweet of you, Zuko. But I'm not sure I could. I mean, didn't you say that Toph was the most amazing earth bender in the whole world?" she asked somewhat teasingly, earning an embarrassed blush from the shorter girl.

"W-well, she really is, so I would never want to fight her, but, I do think you could handle it," Zuko replied, his smile gradually returning as he spoke. A snort of derision from the youngest member of their group, and Zuko knew she would definitely want to prove it.

"Then how about we settle that right now, huh?" she replied strongly, retreating a short distance away from the assembled group before dropping into her earth bending stance. Zuko felt somehow that there was some ulterior motives for the challenge, but figured that if Ty Lee was alright with it then it would be fine.

"That's up to Ty Lee," he replied, ruffling the brunette's hair aimlessly. The girl cooed a bit under his touch, before he pulled back, taking a few steps away from the slender acrobat.

"Sounds like fun, Zuko. I've never fought an earth bending master before," Ty Lee admitted, smiling as she dug her feet into a firm stance. Taking a few more steps back, Zuko approached the Avatar's group, taking a position to the far right next to Aang.

"Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, shouldn't you stop them or something?" the bald boy asked, concern lacing each syllable.

"What do you mean? It'll be fine. It's not like they're trying to kill each other," Zuko said simply, scanning the area for something he could use as a seat. Turning towards the young acrobat's home, he took a seat on the small porch, leaning comfortably against the post that supported the roof as the others followed suit.

"Must be nice being so oblivious," Sokka joked, watching intently as the action was about to unfold. Katara and Suki looked at each other, smiling as they rolled their eyes at Sokka's short memory.

"What are you talking about, Sokka? You're the one that never realized Toph had a crush on you," Katara teased her brother back, smirking as she noticed his shoulders stiffen under the accusation.

"What the heck are you guys going on about?" Zuko whispered, left brow raised in curiosity as they each simply sighed, shrugging his question aside.

"It's nothing, Zuko," Katara replied, resting her elbows on her knees as she watched the spectacle unfold. She cringed a bit as Toph swished a bit of spit in her mouth before letting the fluid pass through her lips, sending it off to the side.

A stomp of her feet brought a large chunk of earth to chest level, a firm thrust of her arm sending the large mass towards the young brunette. Using her acrobatic skill, the girl barely ducked beneath the round block, pushing off with her feet towards the younger girl. The first step brought a pillar of rock up in front of her. Hands in front of her, Ty Lee used it as a makeshift springboard, sending her slender body flying gracefully through the air.

Toph looked around her a bit worriedly, memories of her defeat at Aang's hands coming to mind. Focusing as intensely as she could, her fingers twitching to pull another pillar up right behind her as she felt the light steps hit the ground. Ty Lee bounced back, leaping to the side as another rock headed right at her.

Pushing off of the wet ground with her hands proved difficult, but she managed to get back to her feet, running quickly to the side, looking for any opening. Stopping her movement, she slid a short distance in the thin layer of mud, feeling her hair swaying roughly behind her.

"Is that all you got, honey?" Toph asked sarcastically, pulling three large boulders from the ground. A pair of palm thrusts and a kick sent the three pieces of rock towards the young girl, who seemed undisturbed.

"Just getting started," Ty Lee answered, watching the rocks as they flew quickly towards her. Bending at the waist, the girl ducked backwards beneath the first, pushing into a horizontal spinning move to slip between the next two. A whistle of approval from Toph at the acrobatic maneuver was followed by a large cube crashing down towards the bubbly teen.

Pushing forward with her right foot, Ty Lee tried to increase the distance between them, leaping from position to position in an attempt to frustrate the blind girl. Rushing between two homes, she made her way towards the small river on the right of the main street, the blind girl riding a slab of stone in pursuit.

At the sound of soft splashing sounds, Toph leapt from her perch, lifting her hands up quickly, pulling the rocks from their perch in the center of the stream. On the third one lifted upward, Toph shattered the small boulder, hoping to break the older girl's foothold on the rock.

As the pieces broke away from one another, Toph tried to get a focus on where the girl might be, frustrated by the slight interference from the water in the creek and the lightly blowing wind. Before she could get a trace, she felt a pressure against her left shoulder, the limb falling weakly down to her side.

"Hey, no fair!" Toph cried, using her good arm to try and grab the girl's feet, frustrated as she felt no pressure on the ground. She seemed to move as fast as an air bender, spending enough time in the air to make it hard to get a good lock on her. Losing the use of her left arm, the black haired girl felt the true danger of the Fire Nation acrobat, the surge of chi used to manipulate earth dampening to a mere trickle.

"Sorry, but it's not exactly fair otherwise, since I don't have a weapon," Ty Lee chirped again, her feet splashing in the river a few feet away. A twist of her foot sent a crevice through the earth towards the source of the voice, hoping again to lessen the other girl's foot hold.

Taking a few steps back, Toph felt the others as they stood a good distance away, watching the battle unfold. It was similar to when she had fought Azula on the Day of Black Sun, as though Ty Lee were simply toying with her. Closing her eyes, Toph tried to calm down, planting her feet firmly against the ground.

She tried to focus on even the slightest disturbances on the ground, trying to distinguish each individual rhythm. Feeling the heartbeats of the young acrobat, she focused on it, feeling for any indication of the direction of her movement. Tensing her muscles a bit, she focused as much as she was able, knowing that Ty Lee would only try and get close to go for her right arm's pressure point.

"Watching" the direction her feet pointed, she managed to guess which direction she might move next, ready for whatever the bubbly teen might have planned. A push of her foot sent a short hill surging towards the girl, which she easily evaded. But as she sailed through the air, Toph smiled in triumph, sending a mass of earth about the size of the acrobatic girl towards her.

Ty Lee's eyes widened as she noticed the mass heading in her direction, straining her body to the side to evade it. But as the clump of earth passed her, it exploded, covering her in dust. Bouncing onto her feet, the girl coughed a bit, feeling the earth covering her from head to toe.

"Well, I guess that's my win," Toph said teasingly, as though internally she was saying 'in your face, Zuko'. Ty Lee not being one to quit herself, the girl turned quickly, heading back towards the river. A click of the tongue, and Toph attempted to grab the girl by her feet, missing as she leapt into the air. But as Ty Lee was about to land in the cool water, a submerged stone came flying quickly from the clear water.

The stone coming too late, Ty Lee was unable to evade the blow, the chunk of earth landing squarely in the center of the brunette's chest. Gasps of concern passed the lips of group Avatar, as they each went rushing to the girl's side, Zuko ahead of the others. Sliding to a stop, Zuko crouched down, cradling the girl in his arms, her breaths painfully weak.

"Come on, Katara, you have to help her," he said frantically, lightly tapping her cheeks to keep her conscious. The water bender grabbed a small bit of water from the river, covering her hands with the life giving fluid as she focused, turning it towards the act of healing.

"It's pretty bad. I think it might be broken," she said, referring to the girl's sternum. Zuko set the brunette's head down gently on the ground, anxiety filling his head as he watched the glowing water pass over the girl's prone form.

Turning his gaze towards the little earth bender, Zuko felt a familiar pain, one he thought he had gotten over. The pain he felt when his mother had left him, the pain when his father had burned him, the pain when Azula had nearly taken his life. He feared that even Katara's water healing would not be able to do the job, his inner insecurities taking over as he took a few steps towards the younger girl.

"Why? You didn't have to take it that far," he spoke, his teeth gnashing together.

"What do you mean? You're the one who said she could beat me," Toph tried to sound defiant, to not show the concern she herself was feeling. She hoped that Katara would be able to fix things, as she usually was. The raven haired girl felt Zuko's entire body tremble, and for an instant she felt a prick of fear in her chest, thinking that the Fire Lord was about to snap.

"Weren't you paying attention? She did beat you," he answered darkly, earning a disbelieving grunt from the short girl.

"What fight were you watching, Zuko?" she shot defiantly, wanting to know exactly what he was getting at.

"When she hit your shoulder, don't you think that she could have hit a different spot," Realization dawned on her with his words, and as she looked to the others, they had the same look on their faces, as they nodded in agreement.

"W-why would she do that? She was taking it easy on me? What the hell is that about?" Toph asked indignantly, a surge of anger and hurt mingling in her chest at the sad look she figured that Zuko must be giving her.

"It's nothing like that. Ty Lee just has a bad habit of taking it easy on people she likes. Otherwise, I don't think you guys would have made it to Ba Sing Se," Zuko spoke coolly, his hands hanging uselessly at his sides as. A deep intake of breath, and he stared at the young earth bender, a look that sent winces of awkwardness through the others.

"And because of that, she got hurt. Because you were so full of yourself, wanting to be the best. All she wanted was to be friends, but all you wanted to do was hurt her," Zuko spoke rashly, not truly considering his words as they passed through his lips. He was speaking out of hurt, and fear, not caring what they did to anyone else.

"It's not my fault…" the girl whispered, her gaze shifting to the ground, chest thumping with an empty, cool sort of pain. She wasn't sure if it was the words being spoken, or simply the voice used to deliver them.

"Then whose is it, huh? I guess that rock just came out of nowhere then, didn't it?" Zuko spat, a small voice in the back of his head trying to regain control of him, but finding his hurt and anger too strong for the moment. He didn't notice that the girl's body was trembling more with each word, with each syllable he used to cut her heart.

"I-I didn't mean…"

"Of course not. Nobody ever does," he said, coldest ice burning his words. As he turned away from the girl, she lost the last traces of composure, and tears streamed freely from her eyes as she turned away from the group, dashing off towards the farthest part of the island she could reach.

"Zuko, don't you think that was a bit harsh?" Sokka asked, hand resting reassuringly on his friend's right shoulder.

"What do you mean? She's the one who was out of control. Benders have to be in control of themselves, or people get hurt…" the last part was barely a whisper, and Sokka removed his hand, standing behind the Fire Lord.

"Well, I'm sure she has her own problems," Aang apologized for his earth bending teacher, not sure what else he could say to calm his friend.

"I'm sure she does," Zuko spat venomously, as though the thought of the earth bender were poisonous at that moment.

"Z-Zuko… it's alright…" Ty Lee spoke softly, Zuko's mood lightening as he clutched her right hand in his, smiling warmly as she seemed to strengthen with each breath.

"No, don't talk Ty Lee, it'll be alright," Zuko tried to calm her down, earning a stern shake of the head.

"Zuko, she couldn't just let it go. I think she likes you," Ty Lee spoke just as softly, Katara nodding gently as she continued to work on the young girl

"Well, we are friends," Zuko spoke, uncertain as to what Ty Lee was trying to get at.

"Teehee, you're so cute, Zuko. No, I mean I think she likes you, the same way Mai does, and the same way I do," she said, a light blush on her cheeks as she watched Zuko's eyes light up with realization.

"What? How can you say that?" he asked, pressing his free hand to his forehead as he thought back over their times together, the realization hitting him like a tone of bricks.

"I'm sure she is probably just a little confused about it, but I'm almost positive of it," the brunette spoke, giggling lightly as she watched Zuko's face contort into many different configurations.

"What am I supposed to do," he asked uncertainly, feeling guilt over how he had treated the girl.

"I'm sure if it's you, you'll think of something," Ty Lee spoke sweetly, reaching up towards his face, running her fingers over the smooth part of his face. "You always do," she answered, before her hand fell limply to the ground.

"Ty Lee!" Zuko shouted, clutching tightly at her hand as panic gripped him. The water tribe girl removed her hands from their task, pushing against Zuko's shoulders as she tried to calm him.

"It's alright, Zuko. She's just asleep," she replied, smiling at the pure relief on Zuko's face as he watched the light rise and fall of the girl's chest. Throwing his arms tightly around the water bender, he thanked her profusely for her help.

"Oh, it's alright," she responded, patting his back uncertainly, a dark blush tinting her cheeks at his outburst. "It seems like she's rubbing off on you," she added, earning a short chuckle from the others.

"So, she's going to be alright?" he asked, staring deeply into her clear blue eyes.

"I promise. Now, don't you have something to be doing?" Katara asked knowingly, watching as Zuko nodded before dashing off into the direction Toph had gone. Casting a single look behind him as he ran, Zuko felt relieved as the group gathered around the energetic brunette, allowing him to focus on the task at hand.

'_I'm such a jerk. I hope it's not too late,_' he thought to himself. Apologies really did seem to be his specialty.

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**Ah, Zuko better rush or he'll lose one of his dear friends. Will he be able to figure out the right things to say? Depends on if I can think up some good dialogue :P Next chapter we get the final doses of the Toko cuteness in this story, and things settle down a bit for poor Zuko... for about 5 seconds. Somehow this chapter was harder to get done than the previous one, and the Toko bit seemed different as well somehow. Hopefully the next chapter come out better, to balance the whole thing out. Look forward to more Ty Lee x Zuko sweetness in coming days as well. **


	12. Chapter 12: Connection, Smiles and Mud

**Chapter 12: Connection, Smiles and Mud**

**Rating: K**

**Alright, the next chapter of Zuko's Vacation. I could (see: should) have had this out yesterday, but I got, uh, distracted ^_^;; Damn this short attention span of mine. Not even a good thing got me distracted, like reading manga or watching anime. Oh well. Here is the chapter, where Zuko apologizes to Toph, and there is an outbreak of a mud war. That part just sort of came to me at the last minute, so it might seem a bit out of place. Any thoughts on how this chapter came out are appreciated. That being said, enjoy the end of the brief Toko bits.

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Making his way quickly through the small village, Zuko tried to figure out where the hurt young girl had gone. Bringing himself to a stop, he scanned the still murky street, glancing at the footprints lying in the layer of mud. He smiled a bit in relief as he noticed a set of deep footprints, left behind by a pair of small bare feet.

"Well, it's a good thing she doesn't wear shoes, I guess," he chuckled a bit to himself before heading off towards the direction the prints went. Gradually making his way up the hill, he noticed that the tracks continued up behind the large meeting hall, up towards the base of the mountains.

With a mildly frustrated sigh, he made his way behind to the very edge of the village, feeling the mud give way to solid rock. Keeping his eyes out, he watched for any sign the earth bender had been there, prepared for an attack just in case. Gradually the footprints stopped, as the mud had either dried or simply worn off against the cool blue stone of the mountain.

Slowing to a steady walk, Zuko made his way up the rough stone surface, eyes and ears focused on any sign of his friend. The sound of the small stream was louder than at the base, assumedly because he was nearing the source of the water's flow.

Twigs cracked loudly beneath his feet, crunching the leafs and other forest debris underfoot as he walked. He pushed a few branches out of his way, hoping that the girl would stay wherever she was instead of running away. The air got a bit thinner, and he felt it chill just a bit compared to down in town.

Stopping for a moment, he looked back towards the town, watching as the people began to bustle around for the start of the day. His attention turned back towards the task at hand as he heard a muffled sound behind a bush. Sucking in a deep breath, he made his way hesitantly towards the sound.

The sound stopped as a twig cracked loudly beneath his feet, and he cursed his poor luck in this opportunity. Figuring that it was indeed Toph behind the bush, he sped up his pace. As he entered a small clearing, he noticed the slumped form of the fiery earth bender. It crushed him to see her looking so small, so fragile.

"Toph, I…" he spoke softly, stretching his hand out towards the young girl. Leaping back, he watched as a few slabs of stone came up from the ground, surrounding the girl.

"Go away!" she yelled from within her makeshift tent, her voice choked with sobs as she spoke. Zuko felt the short stabbing pain in his chest as he walked forward, placing his warm hands against the cool stone. Breathing deeply, he looked intently at the stone slabs as he fired a short burst of flame towards the ground, baking it dry to at least keep him from getting muddier than he already was.

"She's going to be alright," he began, smiling at the little sniffle he heard from the girl. He wondered idly if anyone else had caught the much feared Toph Bei Fong crying.

"How wonderful for you," she responded sarcastically, but with a clear undertone of relief along with her words. Chuckling a bit at the girl's awkward answer to his statement, he looked up towards the sky, watching as a stray puff of white pass by the clear patch of blue visible through the thin layer of branches. Somehow the silence dragged on, and he found himself unable to think of what he could say.

"I'm sorry, Toph," he spoke softly after a few silent moments, pulling his knees up towards his chest, draping both arms loosely over the bent joints. He listened as he heard her rustle about within her shelter a bit, figuring she might be turning towards him.

"Yeah, you are," she responded in her usual snarkey tone. Trying to suppress a lighthearted chuckle, Zuko breathed in softly, closing his eyes as he thought of what it was he could say to the girl.

"If you could, just listen to what I say until you say anything," he added, rolling his eyes slightly at the girl's prodding. "I overreacted. I know you weren't trying to hurt her, and that it was an accident. I shouldn't have been so mean to you, and I'm really, really sorry," he said, turning his gaze down to the dry patch of discolored dirt beneath him, the slightly hardened surface contrasting with the surrounding dirt.

After his apology, Zuko waited, each second ticking numbly in his mind. He wondered what she would do after hearing what he had to say. Would she forgive him, just like that? Somehow, knowing Toph, that didn't seem particularly likely, and he felt an odd chill through his arms as he imagined the world of hurt he was probably in for. Sensing that she was not going to speak, he breathed in once again, readying to continue.

"I knew it was dangerous from the beginning, a non-bender taking on a master bender," he began, the back of his head resting lazily against the dark stone. "And I knew that even in a spar, you're always in it to win," he added, smiling weakly at the thought. Zuko heard the girl chuckle a bit from behind him, followed by a small pressure through the stone he had leaned up against.

"It's not fair, you know?" she spoke softly from within her stone enclosure. Zuko turned his head slightly, her voice sounding as though it were right behind him. He wondered to himself if this was truly Toph Bei Fong. Her voice sounded so sad, so lost in thought that it hardly sounded like the same person.

"What do you mean?" he asked curiously, watching the stone out of the corner of his eye.

"The whole thing, you know? I mean, it almost seems like everyone can just have whoever they want, but not me. It's like I'm damaged goods, or something," she responded sadly, and Zuko knew this would be the same kind of thing he was likely to hear from Mai.

"I'm sorry, Toph. I never knew you felt that way," he responded, the sincerity of his feelings coating each word from his lips.

"Heh. Yeah, you and Sokka both. I suppose it was Sugar Queen who told you?" she asked, earning a nod in the affirmative from the young Fire Lord, knowing that she could at least sense such movements.

"Well, and Ty Lee," he added, snickering lightly at the slight gasp from the younger girl.

"Bubble brain figured it out? You must be embarrassed that that airhead figured it out before you did," she teased, Zuko smiling as he thought about the young acrobat.

"It's not like that. She's always been good at reading people, much better than I could ever hope to be. I think that's why she pushed me and Mai to be together," he added, feeling his tone drop at the mention of the gloomy young woman.

"So she really is a tramp, just taking her friend's guy after getting you together, huh?" Toph responded accusingly.

"No, it's not like that. If it was up to Ty Lee, then nothing would have happened. She feels even more guilty than I do about the whole thing," Zuko explained.

"Wow, that's hard to imagine. You seem sooo broken up about it," Toph jabbed, smirking at the slight tension in his body.

"Well, unfortunately I'm used to making decisions that cause others to get hurt, so I don't show it too much anymore. But believe me, the last thing I wanted to do was to hurt Mai," he responded, sensing that somehow his apology had turned into an inquisition, an interrogation about his actions and his feelings.

"Then how could you go with her best friend?" Toph asked seriously, as though she were judging him, but not quite.

"I don't really know. It just sort of happened," he responded honestly, smiling as he imagined the warm, cheery smile framed by chocolate colored bangs.

"How very enlightening of you," the younger girl responded sarcastically. "There must be something a bit more to it than that, right?" she asked, sensing his heartbeat quicken a fraction with the thought of the bubbly teen.

"Well, I'm sure I don't have to point out that she's the most obnoxiously positive person in the world, right?" he asked, earning a light gag from the earth bender in reply. "So, there's that, but it's more like her presence is so comforting, so warm. She is kind to everyone, and she is just so full of life," he went on to list the qualities that he liked about the girl from the Fire Nation, finding himself nearly rambling on, before he noticed that Toph was not saying anything.

"Wow, sounds like you really do like her, huh?" Toph asked finally, smiling as she felt his embarrassment, his heart beating faster than usual.

"Not really," he joked a bit, his cheeks warming a bit as he thought about it a moment more. "I don't like her. I think I love her," he answered, admitting it to himself. He remembered their first kiss, how it had been almost an accident.

"How nice for you," Toph responded weakly, a forced kind of laugh forcing its way through her lips. Zuko tightened his facial expression as he thought once again about what he could say to the younger girl behind him.

"Toph, I'm sorry I never realized how you felt. I've always been kind of dumb when it comes to those kind of things," he admitted, chuckling as he remembered his encounter with the earth kingdom girl, Jin.

"What's so funny?" Toph asked curiously.

"Oh, nothing, I was just remembering this one thing that happened when I was in Ba Sing Se," he admitted, figuring it would be for the best to answer any question she might ask him.

"Spill it, Princess," she practically ordered, her tone leaving little to argue. With a disheartened sigh, he recounted the short tale. He told her how a girl had come in to his uncle's teashop every day, and stared at him directly. He also told her how he had assumed she had caught onto his identity as a fire bender, a point which earned a loud laugh from the young earth bender.

"So, my uncle accepted for me, and then we went on the date," he concluded, his tone darkening just a bit with the memory of the messy haired brunette. A gentle smile crossed his lips, as he realized that she was really a lot like Ty Lee. So quick with her smile, an air of gentle softness about her that made it easy to like her.

"What happened to her?" Toph asked as he finished, wondering if there was maybe more to the story than he had told.

"Nothing. The date ended, and the next time I saw her was when I was walking through town with Mai, after the fall of the city," his body tensed up with the thought. The thought that he had played a part in the conquering of Ba Sing Se, had been on the wrong side then.

"Man, seems like you really do get all the girls, Sparky," Toph joked, a shared chuckle passing between the two.

"I guess so. They all tell me they don't mind the scar, and say I'm handsome, but I don't know if they ever really knew me."

"Well, you make it pretty hard to get to know you," Toph responded, listening to the curious sound from the older boy. "I mean, you're so angry all the time. You never let people get close to you. Or at least, you used to be. You've really changed somehow, Zuko. I think it actually kind of suits you," she admitted, glad that she was hidden behind a layer of stone, glad he couldn't see the smile that crossed her lips.

"Thanks, Toph. But I don't think I deserve much of the credit. It's hard to be negative when you're around Ty Lee. I don't think she can stand negativity," he joked, glad the girl was laughing behind him.

His eyes widening in surprise, he felt the hard surface behind him slip away, his body leaning back with the sudden removal of the solid backing. Hands sunk into the ground behind him, the girl's face coming into view as she stood above him.

"Alright, Zuko, I forgive you. Or at least I will, on two conditions," she spoke sternly, her raven colored bangs hanging loosely in front of her misty green eyes.

"Okay. And what kind of conditions do you have?" Zuko asked warily, concerned that the young earth bender would still have something harsh for him to do yet. He watched as she stepped around him, kneeling in front of him on the hardened patch of dirt.

"First, is this," she said, leaning up towards him, capturing his lips with hers. Zuko's eyes widened in surprise, watching as her mint green eyes fluttered closed. A smile found its way onto his lips, as he realized what she was asking, returning her kiss gently, his lips memorizing the feel of her oddly soft lips.

After a few moments, the younger girl pulled back, her face flushed as she turned away from the young Fire Lord. Zuko too was left a bit surprised, his eyes locked open as he watched the small frame of the girl in front of him.

"Toph, was that…" he tried to ask, the girl placing a finger on his lips to prevent him from asking.

"That was my first kiss, so you better be grateful," she responded, keeping her head turned away from the older teen. Toph felt her heart beating rapidly in her chest, matching the feeling of sadness at knowing that such sweetness would never be hers again. "And I'm sure Bubbles won't mind too much," she added, trying to push the blush from her face.

"So, what's the other condition, Toph?" he asked genuinely, embracing the young girl in a warm hug. He smiled as he felt a short shiver pass through her, her body warming noticeably under his touch before pulling away.

"Well, the second is that you don't do that again, or I might just steal you from her," Toph teased, smiling as she listened to Zuko's deep voice as his laugh echoed nicely in her ears. "But the last condition is that you not tell anyone what happened. I have a reputation to maintain, after all," she added somewhat sarcastically.

"Alright, it's a deal Toph. But I think I know what will help cheer you up," Zuko suggested, leaning forward as he whispered something into Toph's ear. He could almost feel the mischievous grin on her face, as she nodded in affirmation.

"Well, we both got our clothes a little dirty, so it's only fair that everyone else gets in on the fun, right?" she continued his line of thinking, definitely liking the more cheerful, pleasant Zuko.

****************

As the gang exited Ty Lee's home, content that she would be resting as much as needed, they spotted Zuko and Toph, watching as they walked up to the house with wide grins on their faces.

"I guess you worked thing out," Katara said first, concerned for the grin on Toph's face in particular.

"Hothead here apologized, and we had a little talk, so I decided it would be alright to forgive him. But then he came up with a really neat idea, that I just couldn't pass up," Toph began, smirking at the tension passing through the other three in the group.

"A-and what would that be?" Aang asked hesitantly, knowing that with Toph, that kind of thing usually meant trouble.

"Oh, it's nothing too bad," Zuko continued, sharing a smile with his shorter friend before turning his gaze on the others. "Just… this!" as he finished they each produced a pair of mud balls from behind their backs, sending them quickly towards the four remaining people in their group.

The surprise of it left no time to evade, and the members of Team Avatar each took a hand sized ball of mud to the face. Toph laughed maniacally as she felt the impacts, felt the surprise and agitation of the others. Zuko for his part also laughed, enjoying the fact that he was able to let loose, and have fun without worrying about the consequences.

"W-what the hell, you guys!?" Katara asked loudly, feeling the agitation boiling within her as she wiped the mud from her face. Her blue eyes narrowed on Zuko in particular, who seemed to simply shrug off the annoyed expression.

"Sorry, but I figured you guys needed to relax a bit, and I knew it would cheer up Toph here," Zuko admitted, trying to suppress the chuckles from escaping his lips any further, not wanting to anger the water bender too much. Just as the chuckles began to die down, a gasp emanated from the other in the group, a large mud ball hitting the scarred teen squarely in the face. Surprised gasps landed on the leader of the Kyoshi warriors, her mud covered face showing a triumphant grin.

"You're right, this is pretty fun," she teased, watching Zuko wipe the mud from his face. A brief moment of tension passed between Aang, Katara and Sokka, each remembering Zuko's temper during his pursuit of them across the world.. But their tense faces lightened as he smiled in amusement, turning his gaze towards the auburn haired young woman.

"So, how about me, Toph and Suki versus you three?" he responded, watching them each blink in surprise as he nearly laughed out loud.

"Sounds like fun to me," Toph added, as Aang and Sokka accepted the challenge, Katara holding her opposition for a moment. "Come on, Sugar Queen, you need to cut loose. Or what, are you afraid of a little mud?" she shorter girl teased her older friend, a gasp of indignation from the water bender before a clump of mud hit the earth bender squarely in the face.

"You're on, Toph," she responded in amusement, snickering to herself as she watched the watery earth coat her friend's face. The group broke into their teams, setting up barriers on either side of the street to hide behind. No strategy, no sense of seriousness was present as mud flew from either side towards the other, laughs and threats echoing throughout the street.

A few of the other villagers noticed the spectacle, joining the teams in their odd little game. Soon, a crowd had gathered, standing a good distance from the two groups as their "battle" continued. The odd cheer would spring up for one team or the other, the entire thing becoming a large scale matter.

Finally, after a couple of hours of mud slinging, all the members of the group decided to call it quits, moving from behind their makeshift barricades. Almost no color could be discerned beneath the layer of mud coating each person, each taking turns to laugh in amusement at one of the others.

"Man, that was fun," Toph said happily, feeling the moist earth drying on her skin.

"Yeah, but I don't imagine Sokka had quite as much fun," Zuko teased, earning a chuckle from each present. The water tribe boy simply puffed his cheeks, pouting as he crossed his arms against his chest.

"Well, I didn't expect Suki to take it so seriously," he excused, frustrated as his girl friend laughed at his misfortune.

"Hey, I'm always in it to win, buddy," she said, jabbing him swiftly in the side as she smiled.

"God, we're all a mess," Katara complained, feeling a sudden need to bathe, and to soak in clean water.

"But it was fun, right?" Aang supplied cheerfully, his smile earning a reluctant grin from his girlfriend.

"Well, I guess it was alright. But I'm surprised Zuko is the one who thought of it," she admitted, matching nods from the others as they looked at the usually moody young man.

"Like I said, I just figured it would cheer Toph up," he said simply, smiling beneath the layer of mud on his own skin. "But, if the village is still planning on having a party, I suppose we could all use a good cleaning," he said, watching as the others each looked at the others, weak nods in agreement.

"Good point, Zuko. I guess that means you decided to show up?" Sokka asked curiously, a brow raised in slight teasing of his older friend.

"Something tells me you wouldn't take no for an answer anyway, Sokka," Zuko responded, watching as the young water tribe boy stroked his chin in thought.

"That's true. But, it's good that I won't have to force you to come. Katara, is Ty Lee going to be alright to go?" the dark skinned boy asked, his blue eyes falling on his little sister.

"I don't see why not," she responded, noting Zuko's breath of relief. "But no strenuous physical activity until I get a chance to look her over again, alright Zuko?" she teased, watching as Zuko's lips sputtered open and closed in surprise at the implication.

"We haven't done anything like that yet, Katara!" he yelled, more embarrassed than he felt he should be.

"Yet?" Suki teased, smiling as the young Fire Lord growled like an animal trapped in a corner, short laughs emanating from each person in the group.

"Well, I guess I'll be going first. So when is this party?" he asked, turning towards Sokka as he made his way towards Ty Lee's home.

"Not until later. So there's plenty of time to just hang out," Sokka explained, leering at the older boy as he spoke. "I'll come get you when it's time. But I'll remember to knock this time," he joked, fearing for a moment that Zuko might shoot steam from his ears with the innuendo from the group.

"Alright, see you later," Zuko huffed before storming off towards the brunette's house. The last sound he heard before slipping inside the small home was the raucous laughter of the group he warmly called his friends.

"Oh my gosh, Zuko, what happened to you?" the soft, flowery voice filled his ears as he leaned against the front door. Opening his honey toned eyes, he watched the girl sit upright upon the green sofa, her chocolate colored hair falling gracefully around her soft features. He nearly groaned as he realized he was still covered in mud, slipping his dirty shoes off near the front door to avoid tracking it further into the house.

"Nothing. We just had a little fun," he joked, looking at the dark colored earth on his fingers.

"So, did you and Toph make up?" she asked somewhat sadly, hands folded neatly in her lap. She winced a bit in surprise as she felt his cool fingers press against her nose, a light streak of mud covering the soft skin.

"Yeah, it turned out alright. But I should take a bath now," Zuko said, smiling as he made his way into the bathroom. Ty Lee blinked in surprise as she watched the door obscure him from view, a giggle escaping her lips as she settled back on the sofa.

"Glad you had fun, Zuko," she whispered to herself, smiling warmly as she listened to the sound of running water. Somehow, she had a feeling that the town's party that Sokka had told her about would be lots of fun. Especially with Zuko as the guest of honor.

* * *

**Alright, now we can get back to the Zuko x Ty Lee sweetness. The Toko part was fun to write, so there will definitely be a purely Toko story from me at some point. But, as I think I said before, not until this one is over. And as I was thinking about it last night, this one has a potential to go on for nearly ever. Just keep getting more ideas on what to write, it's crazy. Look forward to the party chapter tomorrow, and things do get a little rowdy for the two lovers. **

**Also, on a completely unrelated note, I love the Janne Da Arc song 'Vanpaia'. Favorite song at the moment, except for maybe 'Thrown Away & Tightrope' by Papa Roach, or 'In Pieces' by Linkin Park.  
**


	13. Chapter 13: Emerald Green

**Chapter 13: Emerald Green**

**Rating: K+  
**

**Well, here is chapter 13 good people. Not quite to the party yet, but next chapter for certain. Zuko has Ty Lee take him clothes shopping, as he has not brought enough with him. Basically just an excuse for some more nice moments between the two. Hopefully you all enjoy this one as much as previous installments. Look forward to more Ty Luko soon as well.

* * *

**

Wiping away a streak of condensation from the small mirror in the bathroom, Zuko looked himself over, his right hand running lazily over his firm facial features. Slowly his gaze shifted down, resting on the mirrored image of the large scars on his face and chest. They would serve forever as reminders of his past, but as he traced the latter mark, he found that the pain from them was almost nonexistent.

In the past, the burn mark on his face was thought of as a disfigurement, a reminder of how he was weak and unworthy of love or respect. But the only shame he felt now at the hardened skin was not speaking up more loudly, not making his opinions known to all. Both marks were reminders of when he had done the right thing, or at the least had tried to. A smile crossed his face as he looked around the bathroom for something to wear.

At that moment, he realized that he had no additional clothing in his pack, and that until his clothes were washed he would be unable to function normally. His mind raced as he thought of possibilities, any solution to the minor problem that this presented. He could go and ask Sokka for something to wear temporarily, but then he remembered Sokka's penchant for occasionally slovenly behavior, relying almost entirely on any girl present to keep him presentable.

Sighing heavily, Zuko realized that there was only one option. Running the thick towel through his hair once more, he then tied the damp cloth around his waist, somewhat hesitantly making his way back into the living room.

"Oh, nice look, Zuko," the soft voice of his acrobatic friend was the first thing to greet him upon exiting the bathroom, a small billow of steam following behind. His face lightened a bit as he watched the girl laugh brightly, before he remembered what it was that he had to ask her.

"Umm, Ty Lee?" he asked, watching nervously as she cocked her head slightly to the side, bright grey eyes seemingly smiling at him.

"What is it, Zuko?" she asked sweetly, her legs dangling from the edge of the sofa nearest him, soft chocolate brown hair hanging gracefully around her face. He had to resist an urge to take a few steps forward and capture her full pink lips with his own. Taking in a deep breath, he tried to keep a blush from forming on his cheeks.

"I, umm, don't have anything to wear…" he began, failing at containing his embarrassment over the situation. For a moment, the girl said nothing, and he thought that maybe it wouldn't be as bad as he had feared. But as he was feeling the sweet rush of relief, the girl broke into a loud laugh, darkening the blush on his cheeks.

"Oh, Zuko, I'm sorry," she tried to apologize, the words utterly unconvincing between fits of girlish laughter. "The only clothes I have around would definitely not suit your tastes," she laughed louder, picturing Zuko in the pinks and reds that she tended to favor.

"Ugh, this is so humiliating," he gruffed, thinking that the only way the situation could be worse would be if he were not covered with the towel at his waist. "Look, I just need something temporarily, then maybe you can just take me somewhere that I can get something?" he tried to reason, watching the girl wipe a few tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Oh. Okay, Zuko. But, they might be a tight fit," she said happily, bounding quickly towards her room. Rummaging through her dresser, she looked for the most fitting clothing she had, finding a pair of her red pants that might function as shorts for the young Fire Lord. "Here, try these," she said as she entered the living room once again, tossing the red cloth to the young teen.

"Thanks, Ty Lee," he answered gratefully, disappearing into the bathroom once more. The pant were a tight fit, as he had expected, but at least it was something to cover his bottom half until he got something more fitting. As he exited the bathroom, rubbing the back of his head nervously, he felt that familiar tension in his extremities arrive along with the brunette's failed attempts at holding in her laughter.

"Aww, you look good Zuko. But I wouldn't want you to keep that look. It doesn't fit you," she joked, earning a dissatisfied groan from the young man. Jumping off of the back edge of the sofa she had been resting upon, the girl grabbed Zuko by the arm, suddenly painfully aware that he was not wearing a shirt. "Umm, Zuko, you want to borrow a shirt?" she asked, her fingers slowly reaching towards the burn mark in the center of his chest.

Giving pause for a moment, Zuko made his way over to his traveling pack, rummaging around for a small leather pouch. Hands digging through the bits of dirty clothing, he finally found the object of his search, tossing the metal filled pouch into the air. Turning his gaze towards the young brunette, he walked back towards her.

"That's alright. I really don't think your shirts would fit me," he responded, gently grabbing the girl's slender fingers in his right hand, smiling as he made his way towards the front door. "So, anywhere I could get some clothes on this island?" he asked somewhat anxiously, reaching for his boots as he stepped outside.

"Yeah, I think there's a little place at the bottom of the hill that could work. Not sure they will have anything to suit your tastes though, Zuko," she replied, slipping her simple red shoes onto her feet as she joined him outside.

"First, I think these need a washing," he said, nodding his head over towards the river a short distance behind her home. Ty Lee smiled warmly as she followed after the older teen, biting her lip gently as she watched the subtle movements of his lean muscles. Brushing a few strands of brown hair behind her ears, she sat on a large rock on the edge of the stream, watching as Zuko washed the dirt from his shoes.

"Geez, I think these are ruined too," he sighed, slipping the wet foot coverings in place. Motioning that he would follow, he waited for the younger girl to head towards the place that might grant him some sort of clothing, hoping at least that he could get something clean.

"Alright, here it is Zuko," Ty Lee said simply as they reached the bottom of the hill, noticing the embarrassed look on Zuko's face. "Aww, come on Zuko, it's not that bad you know," she said, trying to cheer the young man up.

"Easy for you to say. You're not wearing something girly, with no shirt on in a place you're not familiar with," he huffed roughly, trying to keep his voice as low as possible. The girl giggled a bit as he spoke, realizing that he had her in that argument.

"Good point. So, any idea what you might be looking for?" she asked, lifting the small straw mat that served as a door. Slipping inside, she watched as Zuko looked appraisingly at the items in the shop, trying to make up his mind.

"I don't really care, as long as it's not something for girls," he replied dryly, his lips pursing a bit as he looked at the simple blue cloth dotting the small shop. Nothing that he was used to, as he expected from a shop on a small island like this.

"Oh, customers. How can I help you?" A sweet girl, who looked about Ty Lee's age greeted the pair from behind the register, her blue sleeved arm wiping at a few beads of sweat on her forehead as she hefted a large box onto the counter top.

"You need some help with that?" Zuko asked helpfully, his natural kindness overriding his embarrassment for a moment. His eyes widened a bit as he watched the girl smile in response to his offer, his memory flashing momentarily with the face of that girl from Ba Sing Se.

"Jin…" he whispered softly, a pair of heads cocking in his direction before he caught himself. "Oh, sorry, you just reminded me of someone I knew a long time ago," he responded, grabbing the heavy box from its perch atop the counter.

"Ah, it's alright," the young girl answered happily, motioning towards the back of the shop, walking into a small back room with Zuko trailing slightly behind. As he walked, Zuko watched the small braid bounce as it hung across her right shoulder, a short pang rippling through his heart as he remembered the strange, sweet girl he had met in his time as "Lee".

"Thanks for helping me out with this," she said, her soft voice ringing pleasantly in his ears. The young Fire Lord smiled gently at the young girl, letting the memories slip from his mind. His smile warmed as he entered the main room of the shop, watching the young acrobat waving her feet in the air as she stood pointlessly on her hands.

"It's no problem," he responded as the black haired girl slipped back into the shop, taking up a spot near him in front of the counter. The embarrassment returned, and as a blush crept on his cheeks, Zuko looked again at the selection of items in the shop.

"So, are you looking for something in particular?" the girl asked, smile seemingly etched on her face as she looked the young man over. He swore he saw a light ting of pink on the girl's tan cheeks, before answering the simple question.

"Not anything in particular. Just something that a guy would wear," he joked, earning a light laugh from the girl. Taking up a seat on the small bench next to Ty Lee, he watched as the girl seemed to think for a moment, before her face lit up in realization.

"Oh, I think I have just the thing for you. Just hold on a minute, Zuko," she spoke, a mix between honor and familiarity in her tone of voice. As she disappeared into the back again, he felt a hint of curiosity enter his mind.

"How did you know my name's Zuko?" he asked dumbly, feeling his brows raise at the laugh that escaped the girl's lips from within the back room. A light nudge from his friend brought his attention back to her.

"Geez, you're the Fire Lord, dummy," she responded teasingly, causing Zuko to smack his forehead in realization. "By the way, I think she likes you," Ty Lee added, flipping back onto her feet, before taking up a sitting position next to Zuko.

"I kind of got that feeling," he said, smiling weakly as his thoughts drifted back to the girl from the teashop.

"So, who's Jin?" Ty Lee asked, something like doubt on her voice. Foggy grey eyes drifted to the grey carpeted floor, fingers idly playing with each other as she tried not to look at the young Fire Lord. A strong arm wrapped around her shoulder, and she smiled as he held her body close to his own.

"A girl I knew a long time ago," he responded, giving his acrobatic friend the quicker version of his story from Ba Sing Se. "I wonder what she's up to now," he added nostalgically, his golden eyes drifting towards the ceiling as the scent of cinnamon flooded his senses.

"Wow, Zuko, I always knew you would be good with the girls," Ty Lee joked, jabbing a finger playfully into his side. He winced a bit, but smiled as he leaned down a bit, placing a gentle kiss on the crown of the younger girl's head.

"Oh, sorry, didn't mean to interrupt anything," the shop girl said, a trace of disappointment on her voice as she watched the scene in front of her. Zuko and Ty Lee nearly jumped apart at being spotted, Zuko walking slowly towards the young girl.

"No, I'm sorry. So, what did you get back there?" he asked curiously, noticing a white box in the girl's arms. She smiled as she held the box out, watching as Zuko lifted the lid of it. His eyes widened in surprise, his fingers running gently over the fabric within the box. Gaze shifting to the young shop keeping girl, he watched as she continued to smile, nodding gently for him to take the garment.

"This is probably the only clothing fit for the Fire Lord on this island, Zuko, so I hope it suits your tastes," the girl responded nervously, watching as Zuko pulled the shirt from its resting place in the box. His honey colored eyes ran from the shirt to the girl, before resting on the shirt.

"Wow. I wouldn't have guessed something like this would be here. Where did you get it?" he asked curiously, his fingers taking in the smooth feel of the fine silk.

"It's a secret," the girl replied playfully, holding a finger to her lips as she smiled at the young Fire Lord. Zuko nodded in understanding before undoing the small black buttons on the front, slipping his arms into the fine blue fabric. Simply having a shirt was a relief, but to wear one of such fine quality was more than he had expected.

Fine strands of blue silk melded perfectly together, soft gold dragons stitched carefully along the bottom edge of the shirt. Fine black linen formed the hem of the garment, a second dragon embroidered on the collar, its roaring jaws reaching the edge of the right collar.

The sleeves reached comfortably just to his wrists, the material hanging almost perfectly loosely around his strong arms. Straightening the shirt out, he then set about re-buttoning the shirt, the black circles slipping easily into the small holes on the opposing sides. Turning back to the girl once the shirt was secured on his torso, he asked if there was anything he could wear in the way of pants.

A simple nod, and the girl made her way behind the counter, producing a second white box. As the top was removed from the box, Zuko's eyes fell upon a nearly perfectly matching pair of black pants, the fine material going well with the dark blue of the shirt adorning his body.

"Umm, is there a changing room here?" he asked nervously, earning a small giggle from the young girl at the counter.

"No, sorry," she admitted, watching the young man sigh heavily. Motioning for the girl to stand next to Ty Lee, he then took a position behind the counter. Thankful that the counter was made of solid wood, he slipped Ty Lee's uncomfortably tight pants from his legs, sighing in relief as the black linen made its way up his legs. Grabbing a nearby strip of blue cloth, he tied the dark material around the waist of the pants, securing them around his waist.

As Zuko walked from behind the counter, he noticed both girls staring at him, their gazes uncomfortable as they fell across his body. "So, how does it look?" he asked a bit nervously, watching as the girls looked from him to each other, playful smiles teasing at the edges of their lips.

"You look great Zuko," Ty Lee spoke first, the shop girl nodding gently in response. Feeling a bit better, Zuko bowed his head gently, slipping his right hand into the right pocket of Ty Lee's form fitting pants.

"Thanks. So, how much for everything?" Zuko asked, holding the dark brown leather pouch in hand as he tossed the pants playfully towards the young acrobat. The shop keep seemed to look intently at the bag, curious as to its contents. A sly grin crossed Zuko's face as he rummaged his fingers into the bag, slipping a few coins into his hands.

"I hope this will be enough," he said, tossing the pouch towards the black haired shop keep. Emerald green eyes shot open in surprise, as she looked curiously from the bag to the young Fire Lord.

"Oh my, that is too much. I can't accept this," she said hurriedly, trying to thrust the bag back towards the young man. He simply held his hand up towards the young girl, letting the pieces of gold in hand slip into the silk lined pockets of his new pants.

"Now, you wouldn't refuse a gift from the Fire Lord, right?" he asked, feigning seriousness in his tone. The girl cowed a bit in his presence, bowing respectfully as she retreated a short distance away. "I am only kidding. This is no small thing you have done for me, so I want to show my gratitude. Is that alright?" he asked kindly, watching as the girl clutched the pouch to her chest.

"It is alright, Fire Lord Zuko," she responded, smiling warmly at the older teen. With a nod of his head, he placed a reassuring hand on the girl's shoulder, leaning a bit closer as he spoke his gratitude.

"Thank you very much for the clothes. I hope you wouldn't mind if I grabbed some simple clothes for working out, and a pair of shoes as well?" he asked, hoping that he was not making too large a request.

"Oh, not at all, Fire Lord-" he raised his hand once again to silence the girl.

"None of that. While I am here, I am just Zuko, alright?" he replied somewhat shyly, grabbing a light blue cotton shirt and dark blue pants, followed by a simple pair of black shoes, similar in style to Ty Lee's. A nervous nod from the young girl and Zuko bowed respectfully in turn, smiling as he slipped the shoes upon his feet.

"Have a good day, Zuko," the shopkeep girl whispered as he exited the shop, her heart fluttering lightly as she thought of his kindness. Opening the small pouch again, she watched the shimmer of gold in the rays of sunlight, a soft smile crossed her lips. "Come back any time," she whispered this time to herself, turning slowly back towards the back of the shop.

"That was pretty sweet of you, Zuko," Ty Lee said, slightly in teasing of her older friend. Zuko turned his head towards the peppy brunette, smiling as the messy black locks of hair fluttered about his face in the light breeze that passed through the town.

"It was nothing. I had a little extra money, so I figured it would be better to give to someone who needs it," he said simply, taking note of the difference in the looks directed his way.

"Looks like everyone likes the new look, Zuko," his bubbly friend spoke appreciatively, drawing his honey colored eyes towards her.

"I never would have thought it, but I kind of like the blue," he admitted, looking at the light sheen of the fine silk on his shirt. A smile crossed both their lips as they made their way back towards Ty Lee's house.

"Yeah, blue suits you pretty well," Ty Lee added, he feet lightly sounding against the hard wood of her porch as they approached the house. As the door swung open, Zuko entered first, blocking the entrance from the young girl.

"Hold on a minute. I want to do a little bending practice before this party, so meet me down at the beach," he said simply in response to the curious look the brunette gave him. After a moment, she nodded, before slowly heading towards the beach.

As she reached the meeting place of sea and earth, Ty Lee stopped, staring idly out at the wide expanse of sea in front of her. The sheer size and beauty of it was something she enjoyed watching from tie to time, a smile crossing her face as she dropped into a sitting position on the sand.

"Alright. Now for some light exercise, just so I don't get too rusty," Zuko joked lightly, jogging towards her. Turning her head, she watched the slight movement of the loose fitting blue garb, the sleeves reaching just above his elbow. The black pants billowed a bit with each movement, the pant legs reaching to just below the ankles.

"Just don't get too excited about it, Zuko," she teased, giggling as he tossed the dark red towel over her head. Pulling it from atop her mess of chocolate colored hair, Ty Lee set the towel in her lap as she watched the young teen stand closer to the sea, his body straightening as he began his breathing exercises.

With her usual excitement, she watched as he went through his various bending movements, bursts of flame dancing in nearly all directions. Sudden thrusts, punches and kicks, each alight with flame cast shadows on the sandy shore in front of him.

Gradually the movements became more intricate, evolving into horizontal flips and somersaults. His movements were smooth, precise, just like Azula's used to be. The thought of her old friend made Ty Lee a bit sad, imagining the young woman screaming madly within her single room in the mental institution.

But her attention was brought back to the present as she watched Zuko hold his hands in front of his chest, eyes closed in concentration. The sound of deep breaths wafted gently over towards her. His eyes flashed open as he thrust his hands outwards, a large burst of emerald green flame the size of his body spiraling from his palms out towards the crystal blue sea.

As the flame disappeared, Ty Lee realized that her mouth had begun to hang open a bit, mesmerized by the sight. She had witnessed the blue fire from Azula, the result of her natural talent and her cold demeanor. But never had she heard of anything like green fire. The brightness of it was so wondrous, she wanted to know how long Zuko had been able to produce such a thing.

"Wow, Zuko, that was amazing," she said happily, shooting to her feet then over to the young Fire Lord. His attention was shaken from his upturned palms to the brunette bounding over towards him, a look of confusion etched on his face.

"So, you saw it too?" he asked curiously, bringing a look of confusion to the energetic face of the Fire Nation acrobat as well.

"Of course I saw it. How long have you been able to do that?" she asked, handing him the thick towel. As he wiped himself off, he felt confused by the spectacle he had witnessed, still finding it hard to believe that he himself had produced such color in his flame.

"I don't know. That was only the second time I did it, but they were both on accident," he said, hanging the towel across his shoulders as his gaze shifted to the wide, beautiful ocean. "But, when I saw the masters, Ran and Shao, they showed me fire in so many different colors," he spoke, watching out of the corner of his eye as the bouncy brunette took position at his side.

"Ran and Shao?" she asked innocently, wondering why she had never heard of such amazing masters before. Zuko chuckled a bit as he debated whether or not to tell the girl.

"You promise you won't say anything about this to anyone, right?" he asked seriously. Ty Lee nodded enthusiastically, eager to know such an apparently important secret from her old friend. "Ran and Shao are the last remaining dragons," he answered somewhat vaguely, not wanting to go into details on the whereabouts.

"Dragons? I thought they were all dead," she said sadly, looking at Zuko for any hint that he might be making it up somehow. Finding none, she bounced back and forth on her feet as she took the information in.

"No. They are the last two, so we have to keep it a secret to prevent anyone from hunting them, understand?" he asked hopefully, his eyes stern yet warm with the sincerity of his plea.

"Alright, Zuko. I won't tell anyone," she spoke, smiling as she gazed into his soft golden eyes. "And, thanks for telling me."

"I just want you to know that I trust you, Ty Lee," Zuko said simply, brushing his right palm against the girl's left cheek. The girl sighed wistfully at the soft touch, her arms wrapping gently around his waist.

The pair pulled in close to one another, as though pulled by some unseen force. Both sets of eyes closed, and soft, pink lips met harder peach toned ones. Their lips pressed together with a hunger, a need for more closeness. Hearts began to race, thoughts becoming hazy as they lost themselves in the moment.

With a light smack, they pulled apart, the Sun a little past the center of the sky. The pair smiled warmly at one another, Zuko offering his hand to the younger girl. Ty Lee took it happily, her stomach fluttering gently as he entwined their fingers together.

"So, how about we get ready for the party? I have a feeling Sokka will want an early start," Zuko joked, earning a nod from his friend. His heart felt as though it would simply overflow, his usually empty, cool self filled with a warmth and happiness he wanted to hold onto.

"Yeah, he does love his parties," she added, each snickering a bit as they imagined the excited looks on the Water Tribe boy's face as he fussed over decorations and other arrangements.

"I'll just be a minute, Zuko," Ty Lee said easily as she slipped into her bedroom, closing the door gently behind her. Watching her slender frame slink from sight, Zuko took a seat on the sofa which had been doubling as his bed the last few nights. As the sensation of her strawberry flavored lips lingered on his, he felt his mind haze over a bit.

"Mmm, maybe just a short nap," he mumbled, falling gently onto the couch. His eyes fell closed, and the world faded from consciousness.

As he slept carelessly on the comfortable sofa, Ty Lee exited her room. Her upper body adorned with soft, pink satins and darker silks, the material joining together just above her toned belly.

Her pants were bloody tone of red, one that contrasted yet matched the pink hues of her shirt well. Approaching the young teen, Ty Lee sighed in mock frustration, watching the subtle rise and fall of his chest.

"Geez, I was only in there for like 5 minutes," she complained, smiling as she brushed a few stray strands of black hair from his face. Slowly, she leaned down, crawling seductively along his body. Beneath his new training clothes, she could still feel the firm muscles of his body, her own body becoming warm as she stretched out atop him.

"Guess he won't mind me taking a nap myself," she whispered teasingly, allowing her smoky grey eyes to close gently, her body filled with a sense of contentment as his arms subconsciously reached around, clutching her tightly by the waist.

*****************

"Hey, I thought Katara said no strenuous activity?" Sokka joked, watching as the older teen's eyes slowly opened. Golden spheres drifted from the tan Water Tribesman to the slender acrobat perched atop his body, a light smile forming on his lips.

"Nothing happened. Just fell asleep," Zuko answered simply, brushing some of her hair that had come loose behind her ears. The soft ponytail had been re-done into her usual braid, the long style falling easily at her side.

"If you say so. Anyway, the gathering is in a few minutes, so you might want to get ready and meet me at the Meeting Hall," Sokka said, same tone of teasing mixed with a hint of genuine gratitude. Zuko nodded in affirmation, watching as the dark skinned boy exited the small home, a joking leer on his face as he cast one last look at the scene on the sofa.

"Ugh, I think you need some locks, Ty Lee," Zuko said, smiling as he heard the small giggle from the younger girl.

"How did you know I was awake?" she asked, looking up at the young man from their prone position. A quick flip reversed their positions, Zuko resting atop the soft, warm girl who he had grown so fond of.

"Just easy to tell. So, I'll get dressed, then we can go," he said easily, giving her a soft, almost ghost like kiss before standing. Gathering the new garments he had obtained that day, he slipped into her room instead of the bathroom, exiting a minute later garbed in his fine clothes again.

Ty Lee smiled warmly as the Fire Lord slid his arms beneath her, lifting her light frame easily from its resting place. A second movement set her on her feet, and his right arm hooked at the elbow.

"Shall we?" he asked somewhat sarcastically, watching as she snaked her arms easily through the opening.

"If you would like, Fire Lord Zuko," she responded, following his lead out of the house.

* * *

**Alright, the explanation for the green flame. I saw somewhere (something like symbolism of color) that green is representative of eternity, family, harmony, health, peace and posterity. The harmony and peace aspect especially stuck with me, as it is the kind of feeling I get while writing this story. So, it is basically mood fire :P But not quite as gimmicky as that. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this, and are looking forward to more Zuko and Ty Lee sweetness next chapter. What happens when someone spikes the punch at the party? And, how does Zuko handle his liquor? Have to wait and find out. Until next time, loyal readers.  
**


	14. Chapter 14: The Effects of Cactus Juice

**Chapter 14: Understanding from Misunderstanding, or The Effects of Cactus Juice**

**Rating: K+**

**Woo, chapter 14 of Zuko's Vacation. It is really finally starting to take shape in my head, in reference to where the story is actually going. But it will still be quite long yet, at least 30 chapters, more if I decide to just stretch it out (which I won't). The Avatar gang plays a small part in this one, instead focusing on Zuko mostly. Also gets a bit tangy near the end of this one, leading into the next chapter. Any comments appreciated, and enjoy the Zuko x Ty Lee.

* * *

**

Approaching the large doors of the meeting hall, Zuko paused, a bit of apprehension rising up his spine. Staring at the large brown entryway, hand resting just short of the handle, he watched as Ty Lee turned towards him, her brow knit together in curiosity.

"What is it, Zuko?" she asked breezily, staring sweetly into his deep golden eyes. Zuko could not force any words from his lips, his mind swimming with memories of occasions like this in the past and how they always ended badly. Focusing his eyes on hers, he tried to calm down, tried to think positively about the occasion.

"You know, things like this never go well for me," he said after a moment's hesitation, his hand falling limply down at his side. Eyes widened a bit as the bubbly brunette giggled, moving behind the young Fire Lord.

"Oh, come on, Zuko. What's the worst that could happen?" she asked in her usual flowery tone, pushing the older teen through the door. Before Zuko could voice the 'worst that could happen' part of her statement, he was inside, greeted to a loud cheer.

"Let's hear it for Fire Lord Zuko!" A middle-aged gentleman shouted, joined by a chorus of cheers in Zuko's name, glasses clanking together as each person present offered a toast or cheer.

Zuko's embarrassment grew, unfamiliar with such warmth being poured in his direction in his life of struggle. A shy smile found its way across his face, his cheeks burning with the light blush on his face.

"Oh, thank you so much, Fire Lord Zuko," the mother of the child he had saved said, bowing profusely before the young noble, kissing his hand in deference to the young man who had saved her daughter.

"No, it's nothing so great," Zuko said gently, clasping the young woman by the shoulders, lifting her upright in front of him. "And, it's not Fire Lord Zuko. While I'm here, it's just Zuko. Alright?" he asked, his eyes scanning the room as he caught wide grins cast in his direction.

"To Zuko! If only everyone in the Fire Nation were as honorable as him, then the 100 Years' War might never have happened!" A partially drunk man shouted, offering his glass up in toast of the gracious Fire Lord. Again, another chorus of cheers erupted through the large hall, and Zuko looked towards his partner, noting the happy grin she wore across her soft features.

"I don't know how I can repay you for what you have done," the young mother said once more, tears springing to her eyes as the girl in question darted to the front of her mother. Three sets of eyes focused on the young girl, Zuko bending down towards her as she beckoned him closer.

"What is it?" he asked, smiling warmly at the young girl. A mess of black locks flew from her face as she leaned up towards him, planting a soft kiss on his good cheek before throwing her arms tightly around the young man's neck.

"Thanks for saving me, Zuko. When I get older, can I marry you?" she asked sweetly, leaving Zuko somewhat uncomfortable with the situation. Looking around him, he noticed the mildly distressed face of the girl's mother, and an amused grin on the face of his new lover.

"Aww, that's so cute, Zuko," Ty Lee teased, ruffling the older boy's hair as his face showed his concern at the situation.

"Ki Rei, you shouldn't bother the nice boy," the mother said, afraid that her daughter might offend the young Fire Lord. Zuko shook his head for the mother to be unconcerned, gently pushing the small girl away from him. Looking into her chocolate brown eyes, he smiled, casting a sideways glance to Ty Lee.

"That sounds nice, but you will have to be a really good girl," he said warmly, playing along with the girl's attitude. The girl beamed an impossible smile at him, hugging his neck tightly as she nodded in agreement. As the girl rushed out of the meeting hall, followed quickly by her mother, Zuko waved the two off, smiling at the simple gesture.

"How sweet of you, Zuko," Ty Lee teased, lightly poking the young man in the side. He turned to face her fully, smile still present as he remembered the enthusiastic face of the young girl.

"I couldn't just say no when she was so excited, right? Besides, it's just a simple crush, so it won't last long," he explained simply, clasping Ty Lee's hand in his own. As he was about to lean in to place a gentle kiss on the girl's cheeks, the pair was mobbed by the rowdy men of the small town, separated as they pulled Zuko towards a far end of the hall, where a large table had been set up.

"W-wait, what's going on?" Zuko asked, concerned as he looked around for Ty Lee. The young girl caught his gaze, waving warmly at him as he was forced down into a seat in the center of the table. Looking to his side, he noticed Aang, looking somewhat depressed.

"What's wrong, Aang?" he asked, trying to keep his own mind from considering what the men of the village might have had in store for him. The bald boy looked towards his friend, a dissatisfied frown on his face.

"They're so excited for you, Zuko. It's like I might as well not even be here," Aang complained, resting his chin on his crossed arms. Zuko leaned back in the high chair, resting the back of his head against the hard surface.

"Look, I'm sure you've had lots of these kind of things, right?" Zuko reasoned, the younger boy nodding weakly in response. "So, you must be used to it by now. Besides, it's not like they erected a statue of me or anything, like they did for you," Zuko joked, nodding figuratively towards the base of the hill, where the large statue of Avatar Kyoshi resided.

"That's not funny, Zuko! Do I look like a girl to you?" Aang huffed a bit, frustrated with his perceived lack of respect. The young Fire Lord could not help but chuckle a bit at the younger boy's childish response.

"I would just leave the whole thing for you to enjoy, but I don't think Sokka will let me get away with it. I think he has something 'special' planned," he explained, feeling the color leave his face as he thought of what kind of surprise the Water Tribe boy might have in store.

"Oh, yeah. Nevermind what I said, then," Aang said, a sense of relief that he was not to be the center of attention at this particular gathering. "I guess I just kind of got used to being celebrated wherever I went," he continued, taking a sip of the local fruit juice.

"That's certainly not a problem I think I will ever have," Zuko said somewhat glumly, his eyes glancing off into space as he sat in his seat, not noticing the line of glasses set in front of him.

"And why is that, Zuko?" Sokka said, taking a seat next to the young man. A slight lean towards him, and the water tribe boy filled the ceramic cup sitting in front of the Fire Lord, a slightly greenish liquid swishing around the inside of the cup. Zuko's face fell in concern over the fluid, his golden eyes falling on the dark skinned boy.

"You know why, Sokka. So, what is this stuff?" he asked, hesitantly grasping the cup, bringing it slowly to his face. Putting it just below his nostrils, he gagged at the scent of the fluid.

"Oh, just a little something I came up with," Zuko and Aang both shook visibly at the prospect of something Sokka came up with, Aang reemphasizing to himself that he was glad not to be in Zuko's position on this day.

"Somehow that doesn't fill me with a lot of confidence, Sokka," Zuko said bluntly, only then noticing that the group of men around him had dispersed, filling the entire hall with boisterous noise. Sokka truly hadn't been kidding, they really had been looking for any excuse to party.

"Aww, come on, it's my own special creation," Sokka responded, his voice becoming lighter with each word, his speech gradually becoming less understandable. Zuko noticed the younger boy's eyes half close, a sort of dreamlike look on his face.

"Ah, I told him not to use that stuff here," Suki said in annoyance, taking a seat across from the three boys. Zuko and Aang gave each other a curious shrug of the shoulders, before looking at the auburn haired girl for some answers.

"What is this stuff?" Zuko asked, nodding his head towards the still full cup resting in front of him, suddenly even more fearful of drinking the substance.

"Wait, it isn't…" Aang began, scenes of Sokka's idiotic display in the desert. A sigh of acceptance, and Suki nodded her head, Aang cracking an amused smile as he watched Sokka lift himself from his seat.

"Yeah, it is. He liked the sort of freaky things he saw when he was high on cactus juice, so he spent a lot of time distilling it. It's not nearly as powerful as the pure stuff, but it does still make you act like, well, Sokka," Suki said amusedly, Zuko feeling his eyes widen at the idea.

"This is cactus juice?" he asked seriously, looking intently at the murky green liquid. The attention of the three was drawn to the nearest corner of the room, where Sokka was running his hands idly over the smooth surface of the wall, making some incomprehensible statements about how a building could be made of silk.

"More or less. It's really watered down, so it's basically like taking a lot of alcohol in one shot," Suki explained, noting the look of disbelief on Zuko's face.

"Ugh, the cactus juice again?" Katara complained, taking a seat next to Aang, rolling her clear blue eyes in frustration of her brother's idiocy. "He just never learns," she said rubbing her temples in frustration.

"It's not… dangerous, is it?" Zuko asked the three gathered, watching as they looked to one another before turning to him.

"That depends. I don't think it would be a great idea if you were to drink it," Katara answered nervously, stiff nods from the others.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zuko asked, a little annoyed at the statement. His mind tried to think of why it would not be good for him in particular, figuring that they thought he couldn't handle it.

"Well, in a normal person, it's fine. Just makes you act like… that," Katara continued, pointing towards her idiotic brother, who was now intently staring at a small hole in the floor, saying something about a tiny little world.

"So, why wouldn't it be good for me?" he asked again, a little more forcefully.

"What do you think might happen if a fire bender were to start hallucinating?" Suki asked somewhat jokingly, Zuko's eyes narrowing in realization.

"Good point," he admitted, sighing as he pushed the cup away from him. Eyes darting around the hall, he tried to spot Ty Lee, who seemed to blend into the crowd entirely. "Hey, have you guys seen Ty Lee?" he asked the three present, suspicion dawning on him as he noticed them each look to one another.

"Well…" Katara started, looking to Suki for some hint of what she should say.

"I-I'm sure she's alright, right Katara?" Suki said in excuse, drawing further suspicion from the young Fire Lord.

"A-absolutely, so there's no need to go check up on her or anything," Katara continued, answering somewhat nervously. Aang and Zuko looked from one another to the nervous young woman around them, noting a distinct tone of deceit in their voices.

"What's going on, Katara?" Aang asked innocently, leaning his ear towards his girlfriend as she crooked a finger towards her. Her soft brown hair brushed against his bald head a bit, tickling him as she whispered in his ear. As she finished, Aang felt his eyes widen in surprise, his face falling into the same nervous sort of grin that two girls had.

"Yeah, like I said, it's nothing major," Katara added, looking hesitantly at Zuko, whose face was drawn into his old frown, the stress lines appearing on his forehead as he stared almost dangerously at the water bender.

"Katara, that is a nice dress there," Zuko said barely above a whisper, leaning towards the young girl, Aang placed conveniently between the two. Looking down at her attire, Katara blushed just a bit at the compliment, happy that someone had noticed the light blue dress she had worn for the occasion.

"Oh, yeah, it is a nice dress, Katara," Aang said innocently, just noticing the dress for the first time himself. The dark skinned girl's smile widened as her boyfriend added his own youthful compliment to the older boy's.

"And Suki, the red really suits you," he added, leaning towards the Kyoshi warrior, running his fingers along the thin strap holding her red dress on her shoulders. The auburn haired girl twitched a bit as his warm fingers brushed against her skin, mumbling a few words of thanks for the compliment.

"It would be a shame if something happened to them," Zuko whispered in a dangerous, threatening tone. Both girls looked incredulously at the young Fire Lord, watching in surprise as he snapped his fingers, a pair of small flames dancing on his fingertips in response to the gesture.

"Y-you wouldn't," Katara said, pulling back at the dangerously serious look in Zuko's eyes, a look she had noticed on him many times in the past. Swallowing the small lump that found residence in her throat, she pointed off towards a distant corner of the room, watching as the young Fire Lord looked in the appropriate direction.

"Sorry about that, Katara," he replied honestly, bowing his head in apology as he grabbed the small ceramic cup from in front of him, making his way in the desired direction. As he passed Suki, he offered her a similar apology, before leaving the trio to themselves.

"Wow…" Suki mumbled as Zuko disappeared into the crowd, green eyes still locked on where he had gone.

"Yeah… I forgot how intense he used to be," Katara said in response, both girls feeling their hearts beating just a little faster. Suki nodded in simple reply, slowly turning her head towards her friend.

"Hey girls, he's mine first," Toph said sarcastically, throwing her feet upon the table as she took the open seat that Zuko had vacated. Clasping her hands behind her head, she smirked as the girls fumbled for the words to speak in that situation.

"T-Toph, w-what are you talking about?" Katara mumbled first, her dress suddenly feeling far too heavy for the occasion.

"Y-yeah, w-we're both involved, so, right?" Suki added looking to the water bender for some guidance.

"T-that's right. Geez, Toph, what's with you saying things like that?" Katara huffed, feigning innocence. Aang watched the scene unfold, feeling a light pinch on his heart as he noticed the flush on Katara's face.

"Katara, what's going on?" he asked innocently, eyes down in a somewhat sad expression.

"It's nothing," she explained, feeling herself calm down as she looked into his deep gray eyes. Wrapping her arms around the boy, she felt silly for reacting in that way to Zuko's gaze.

"Yeah, just because your girlfriend acts like a dog in heat, doesn't mean she's going to cheat on you, Twinkle Toes," Toph teased in her usual sarcastic tone, smiling as she could feel the heat emanating from both other girls present.

"What!?" Aang shouted, looking into Katara's blue eyes. So lost in his hurt feelings, he didn't notice the loud laughter from the short earth bender to his left.

"Oh, come on Aang, I was just messing with you. Like I said, Katara only has a thing for you, and fan girl here is nuts for Sokka. I'm sure it was just a brief reaction to Zuko's whole bad boy attitude," Toph explained, agreeing nods from Katara and Suki somewhat placating the young boy.

Feeling silly for his little outburst, he placed his forehead on the table, Katara rubbing his back reassuringly as she looked to Suki. Each had a look of complete concern on their faces, their gazes shifting towards the far corner. If Aang had acted like that at the mere mention of contrasting feelings, how might he normally moody fire bender act if he caught the sight that was to greet him.

"It's too quiet," Suki whispered, a fearful chill passing through her as she slowly turned her gaze back to the young water bender.

"Yeah. I hope this isn't a bad sign…"

As the girls were reassuring Aang, and being thankful that Sokka was still off in cactus juice delirium, Zuko was making his way slowly through the throng of party goers, answering the odd cheer in his name through drunken slurs. The people were enjoying themselves, but he wondered if they had to come up with an excuse to have a party. He wouldn't have minded if nobody had said anything about the matter. But as he bumped into a group of drunks, he smiled despite himself, the little girl's energetic smile worth the effort in his mind.

Pushing past the last group of liquored up partygoers, he felt himself brighten as he noticed the warm smile of the young acrobat, her chocolate brown braid hanging idly over her left shoulder. Sighing that he had been worried over her, he attempted to call out to her.

"Hey. Ty L-" his voice cut itself out in mid sentence as a small group of festive people parted, revealing a trio of young men surrounding the bubbly brunette. Zuko's heart felt as though it was about to shatter as he watched her laugh, giggling at something one of the young men had said. It shouldn't have hurt him so much, he told himself. She was probably just passing the time, after they had been split up at the start. Yet, even as he told himself it was nothing, his heart refused to listen.

In contrast with how angry he had been when he had a similar experience with Mai, Zuko could not call what he felt anger. It was something equally familiar to the young man, a feeling of hurt, of loss. His golden eyes narrowed a bit as he slowly turned away from the young girl, taking a few steps towards the front door. A hollow, empty sort of feeling filled his chest, and no logical thought seemed to enter his mind, instead only a sad emptiness. The same feeling he had when Iroh had looked on him in disappointment all those months ago, and the same feeling he had experienced when his mother had left him.

As he reached the front entrance, he looked into the glass of murky green liquid still filling the cup in his hand. He wasn't sure why he had taken it, but as he looked into it, he figured that he shouldn't waste something that Sokka had apparently worked so hard on. A dark heave of his shoulders, and he brought the liquid to his lips, eyes closing in disgust as the bitter fluid drained down his throat. Definitely not something he would be wanting to try again any time soon. A flurry of dizziness passed through his mind as he opened the large doors silently, sneaking out of the party supposedly in his honor.

"Oh, Zuko!" Ty Lee tried to shout, spotting the young Fire Lord exiting the hall past the shoulders of the three young men surrounding her. Her lips drew into a frown as her voice failed to carry to the young man, watching as he swallowed a cupful of something. She wished at that moment that she had a commanding, powerful voice like Azula, as she tried to make her way past the young men around her. "Sorry guys, but I have to go," she said, trying to excuse herself politely from between the three young men.

"Aww, come on Ty Lee, how about you just forget about that guy, and hang out with us?" the one in the center said, a lustful grin on his face as he looked at the subtle curves of the young acrobat. His two companions showed similar grins, moving closer to the young brunette. It was a reaction that Ty Lee was used to getting from young men of this age, usually enjoying the attention herself. But at that moment, she couldn't think of how nice it felt to be the focus of attention. All she could think of was the blank look she had spotted on Zuko's face before exiting the meeting hall.

"Sorry, but you guys aren't my type," she answered sweetly, trying again to make her way past the three young men, a drop of worry passing through her heart. She figured that Zuko had seen her talking to the young men, and would probably be feeling a little hurt. Guilt joined the concerned feeling, knowing that if it were Zuko laughing it up with a group of young girls, she would likely feel quite jealous herself.

"Come on, don't say that. You should at least give us a chance," the black haired boy to the right of the small group said, licking his lips grotesquely as he gripped the girl's right arm.

"No way," she said defiantly, figuring that they wouldn't give up so easily. Making a mental note on the difficulty of being so attractive, she ducked down, quickly darting between two of the young men. Feeling that she should do something in return, she hit the pressure points near their necks, watching with an amused smile as they each crumpled to the floor.

"Hey! You can't just leave us like this!" the brown haired teen in the center said, his body a useless clump of flesh on the floor. Three blue kimonos lay flatly on the floor, and each boy tried to move.

"You're right," she said in mock apology, making her way over towards a group of somewhat unattractive young women. "Hey, you see those guys over there?" Ty Lee said, pointing towards the immature group of boys.

"Yeah, they're pretty cute," one of the ladies said, the mole on her lower lip moving as she spoke. The other two seemed to nod in agreement, leaving Ty Lee in a rather gleeful mood.

"Well, they're feeling a little unwell, so why don't you take care of them?" she suggested innocently, before leaving the group. She smiled mischievously to herself as she imagined the horrified faces of the young men.

"Now, where did Zuko go off to?" she asked to herself, looking around the town as she exited the large meeting hall. Ty Lee felt a distinct uneasiness in her chest as she thought about how he must have felt at the sight. She was glad that he hadn't exploded, and tried to beat the guys up or anything like that. But if he hadn't responded with anger, directed outwards as he had a tendency to do, then he must have taken it even harder. Unable to think of a good plan, the young girl decided to just head to the beach, and hope that Zuko found his way there once again.

Looking up at the sky, Zuko noticed the signs of the sun sinking into the horizon, stray strands of purple and pink streaking across the otherwise clear blue sky. The streaks of color seemed to blur in his senses, transforming into drips of flavored cream, each making his mouth water in hunger.

Idly he took a few steps down the hill, feeling himself begin to smile along with the little green dragon that took up pace next to him. Looking down at the small creature, Zuko felt a sense of calm pass over him, thoughts of the bubbly brunette fading temporarily from his mind. All he could see was the silly grin of the dragon accompanying him, his fluttering wings keeping him inches off of the ground.

Before he knew it, Zuko was at the beach, the bouncy feel of the loose sand causing him to lose his balance. As he lay on his back, his eyes focused on the sky above him, watching the number of colored streaks increase as the light blue faded to a darker shade of near purple.

Just in front of his eyes, the little dragon floated, staring questioningly at the young fire lord. The smoky grey eyes reminded him of someone, but his mind failed completely to place the person. The dragon seemed to fly off in a startled manner, leaving Zuko reaching after where it had gone.

"Zuko? What's going on?" Ty Lee asked worriedly, rushing over to the young man. He seemed to squint his eyes at the girl, knowing he recognized her. Finally his face lifted a bit, his finger pressed right in the center of her chest, nestled between her well shaped breasts.

"I know you. You're Ty Lee. But I always thought Ty Lee was prettier than that," he said, the girl's form blurring, replaced with the specter of a red platypus bear. He snickered a bit at the sight, his hand falling down limply at his sides.

"Geez, just because you're upset doesn't mean you can tease people, Zuko," she scolded, scooting her lap beneath his head as she stroked his hair. Somehow she could tell that he wasn't being mean, but he truly didn't seem quite himself. "What was that stuff, anyway?" she asked more to herself than to him, thinking on the cup she had seen him chug down before exiting the hall.

"Man, that cactus juice is fun. Do you have any, talking platypus bear?" he asked in his delirium, smiling dumbly as he stroked the soft face in front of him.

"Dang it, Sokka. I'm going to have to have a talk with him," she responded somewhat angrily, but definitely not wanting to leave Zuko alone in his delirious state. Before long, his eyes had lidded closed, leaving her alone with a sleeping, possibly still delirious Zuko. Figuring it would just have to do until he woke, she continued stroking his hair, smiling at the surprising softness of each black lock.

**********

"Ty Lee?" his raspy voice sounded from his lips, his eyes slowly opening as his golden eye fell upon her happy visage about an hour later.

"Yeah, it's me, Zuko. You drank some cactus juice, so I think you're probably a little disturbed," she said, resting either palm on one side of his face, taking in the contrast between his smooth right cheek, and the scarred left.

"No, I think it wore off already," he answered uncertainly, rubbing his forehead as he pulled into a sitting position, his back to the young brunette. The coldness that resonated from his back made the girl feel a bit hurt, her chest tightening a bit as she watched him.

"Really? Usually it lasts a lot longer," she responded, trying to keep up the conversation to avoid what she really needed to say.

"It have just been too diluted, or something," he replied easily, a few deep breaths escaping his lips as he stared out to sea, aware of the presence of the young girl behind him. "So, who were those guys?" he asked directly, not turning his gaze towards the young girl.

"They were nobody," she replied, trying to sound cheerful, but finding it a difficult task.

"I see. So, you just smile for 'nobody', right?" he asked again, more accusingly, a distinctly cold tone to his voice.

"No, that's not what I meant Zuko," she tried to think of what she could say, his words piercing her deeply with each syllable. "They are just some guys from town, and they saw me alone, and wanted to talk to me," she continued, hoping Zuko wouldn't read too much into it.

"Really?" No such luck. Smiling nervously, she fumbled more with what she could say, just a bit of distaste pricking at her heart. Why should she have to explain herself to anyone, even Zuko?

"Yeah, they were just keeping me company," she answered, trying to leave out the fact that they always flirted with her any opportunity they got. The last thing she wanted to deal with was Zuko going all angry Fire Lord on local villagers.

"And they didn't put their hands on you, or anything?" She winced at his accurate assumption of events.

"W-well, they did, but only after I tried to leave when I saw you leaving," she replied, smirking at the thought of what they might be going through with the young ladies she had talked to at the party.

"I'm sorry, Ty Lee," he said simply, the sadness in his voice too much for her to deal with at once. Throwing her arms tightly around the neck of the young man, she clutched tightly, not realizing that her body was fully pressing against his back.

"No, it's alright Zuko. I should be more forceful when turning guys down from now on. You're the only one I want," Ty Lee said, blurting it all out at once. A light chuckle from the young man brought surprise to her face, and she pulled away a bit from him. She watched as he shifted in position on the sand, turning to face her fully.

"Sorry, Ty Lee. I think that was just what I needed to hear," he said somewhat apologetically, but very happily. A frustrated sigh passed through the young girl's lips, as she pressed on the center of Zuko's chest, just above the dark scar.

"Geez, and you had me all worried about you. You really are a frustrating jerk, you know?" she said, mock pouting as she watched him slip into thought for a moment.

"I know. But, it's alright now," he answered, springing swiftly to his feet. After dusting himself off, Zuko offered the young girl his hand, smiling warmly in reassurance. As she reached out for it, Ty Lee grinned mischievously, tugging on his arm with all her strength. The suddenness of her gesture sent Zuko face first into the sand, the foamy roar of the sea nearly drowning out her amused giggle.

"Now it's alright," she said teasingly, watching as Zuko spit a mouthful of sand through his lips. His honey colored eyes rested squarely on her as the sun made its last dip beneath the horizon, the moon not quite up to the task of replacing it then.

"Oh really?" he asked in challenge, smirking as the girl tried to back away from him. Pushing off towards the younger girl, he playfully pushed her back down onto the sand, his strong body resting squarely atop her own soft form. The shimmering red fabric of her shirt shook as she laughed loudly, the soft, flowery sound calming him as it rung in his ears.

"Okay, I guess that makes us even, right?" she asked, her giggles dying down as she looked up into his soft golden eyes. The first rays of pale moonlight seemed to shine down on them like a spotlight, no words passing between the two.

Gold spheres gazed into deep, smoky grey eyes, strong hands resting on either side of her head, propping him slightly up. The sea washed onto the shore a short distance behind them, light sprays of salty water sprinkling against his neck and her bare stomach. Nervous heartbeats sounded in both their chests, thoughts of anything but each other slipping from their minds.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Ty Lee found herself pulling his head down towards her, a desire to feel his lips on hers burning in her mind. Zuko was in no position to offer any resistance, his bright, warm golden eyes closing as his lips pressed against hers, softly at first, but with an increasing passion bursting in his chest.

Her fingers danced playfully against the back of his neck, playing with the messy black hair that hung down nearly to his shoulders, his mind filled with the warmth he was feeling as well as the gentle taste of strawberry on her lips.

Slowly his hands moved from their place in the sand, a few grains sticking to his skin as he pressed his strong hands against her bare stomach. The girl gasped lightly into his mouth as he traced his fingers around the toned flesh. As his hands slid beneath the edge of her shirt, he broke the kiss, pulling back so that he could look into her eyes.

His gaze asked for her desire to continue, her permission, but the only response he received was her own hands snaking up beneath his blue silk shirt, her smoky grey eyes showing her trust in him, and her burning desire for him. Resting his hands squarely on her narrow waist, he captured her lips with his once more, no doubt remaining in his mind.

This would be the night their relationship changed forever, and while it made him a bit nervous, he knew it something that they both wanted, something they both needed.

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**Alright, here I will make a little notice. The next chapter will be a little (see: alot) racy, so if that's not your thing, then I will also try and have the chapter following it be open enough that chapter 15 is not absolutely necessary. Basically, 15 will border on lemon territory, so fair warning ahead of time. So, that being said, those willing to read can look forward to some juicy Zuko x Ty Lee material next time. Fans of just the story will have to wait for 16, sorry.**


	15. Chapter 15: Sweet Lemons

**Chapter 15: Sweet Lemons**

**Rating: M**

**Alright, here is the possibly pointless lemon portion of the story. This will (probably) be the only lemony part of the story. There might be more if the fans so ask for it, but as planned this will be the only one. No story warnings or explanations here, it's just the lemony goodness. Took me a while to type, mostly because I get a bit nervous about writing sexual stuff. The images have no problem coming to mind, and I use much cruder language in reality, but somehow I get this weird feeling that using such language would ruin the story and characters. So, I try my best to keep it tasteful (you can judge for yourself if that succeeds or not). And as I said, the next chapter will render this one not entirely essential, hopefully. That said, enjoy the Zuko x Ty Lee lemony goodness.

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Slipping his lips from their sweet exploration of her warm mouth, the young Fire Lord allowed them to travel gently down her soft features. Nipping softly at her smooth skin, he traced along her jaw, from her chin back towards her ears. Each heated touch brought pleasant sounds from his willing partner, her fingers entwined in his messy black hair.

As his lips reached the softness of her neck, he allowed his hands to travel upward along her toned stomach, memorizing each subtle curve with his fingers. Applying more pressure, he sucked carefully on her neck, just above her shoulder, playfully marking her as his.

Her fingers began to run more impatiently through the soft black hair, her smoky grey eyes closed as she focused on the sensations washing over her. His hands, his lips, each touch feeling cold, yet hot at the same time. A curious feeling that left her both wanting to escape, and crave more all at once.

Ty Lee could feel the heart in her chest beating faster, the blood rushing quickly through her body, the flow loud in her ears. She did not hear the small gasps that escaped her pink lips, so lost in savoring the feelings she was experiencing.

As the girl moaned, near purrs of enjoyment filling his ears, Zuko continued his curious exploration of her body, her skin impossibly smooth beneath his touch. He felt his lips curl into a smile against her skin, amused at the sensual sounds escaping her lips. His smile widened as his fingers found their progress impeded by the soft mounds gracing her chest.

He had always realized that Ty Lee was a bit more developed than other girls her age, yet as he ran his fingers slowly up over the soft orbs, he remarked to himself just how soft they truly were. Feeling them filling his hands, he gave a gentle squeeze, the girl's moans deepening for an instant at the new exploration.

The young man's golden eyes narrowed in mischievous mirth as he felt two pointed tips pressing into the palms of his hands, his fingers barely able to fully grip the girl's firm breasts. Running his hands back along the large mounds, he felt her chest heaving more forcefully, her breathing slowly becoming more ragged with each new touch.

As his hands slipped back down towards her stomach, he let the hardened points rub between his fingers, carefully rubbing them between his warmed digits. Even without his natural ability with fire and heat, he could feel the increase in the heat emanating from the younger girl. Smiling a bit, he pulled his lips from their perch on her neck, blowing a gentle breath against her sensitive skin.

Ty Lee shuddered lightly under the touch, small goose bumps forming where his breath had come in contact with her skin. As she felt his warm hands massaging her chest, she too could feel the increase in her breathing, finding the task becoming steadily more difficult.

The girl's eyes flashed open as he pinched playfully, teasingly against her erect nipples, short bursts of electricity shooting through her at the gesture. A louder gasp shot forth from her lips, causing the boy on top of her to cease his actions, his head moving so that he was again staring lovingly and worryingly into her deep grey eyes.

"I'm sorry, Ty Lee," he apologized genuinely, a moment of crystal clarity passing through his mind. He began to loosen his grasp on her firm breasts, finding it more difficult than he had thought.

"Maybe we're going too fast. We don't have to if you're not ready," he said in his awkwardly gentlemanly way, eliciting a small giggle from the young brunette. Circling her arms once more around his neck, she pulled gently on him, trying to close the distance that had opened up between them.

"No, it's alright Zuko. I was just a bit surprised. I guess I'm a bit sensitive there," she said shyly. The spotlight from the moon had widened, encompassing the beach in its eerie, pale glow, but she found herself focusing on something brighter. A warmer, more comforting glow, as his golden spheres gazed deeply into her, his face showing his conflicted state.

"Are you sure, Ty Lee?" he asked, his fingers tracing small circles along her flat, toned stomach. In reply the girl leaned up gently, pressing her sweet lips against his in a sweet, chaste kiss.

"I'm sure, Zuko. That's why I'm glad it's you. You aren't just thinking of one thing, like all the other guys that come around," she explained, her voice filled with a mixture of longing and sadness, as his arms slipped beneath her, encircling her waist as he looked into her deep grey eyes.

"So, let's have some fun, alright? Unless I'm not good enough for you?" she teased, smiling devilishly as his eyes widened in surprise. The golden pools narrowed quickly enough, his lips drawing into an amused grin.

"You asked for it," he said almost playfully, with a hint of challenged determination. As his hands snaked up along her back, he felt her body tighten up again beneath him, her normally clear eyes filled with a light haze of lust, of desire. Pressing his lips against hers once more, he moved his hands up beneath her shirt, rubbing her back gently as the silky, soft material bunched up with his movements.

As the red material moved up, it revealed her luscious features to his gaze, and remembering her surprised gasp from earlier, a wicked idea formed in his head. Removing his lips from hers, he trailed them down her soft neck, slowly traveling down towards her firm breasts.

Catching his intention, the girl's eyes opened a bit, trying to utter some words of hesitation. But no such words slipped through her lips. The only sound that she could utter was a satisfied gasp as his lips encircled her right nipple. Her erect nub was encompassed in the damp warmth of his mouth, his tongue rubbing teasingly against the sensitive tip.

Sensing that he was simply teasing her, the girl tried to utter some words of scolding, finding only more sounds of pleasure passing into the night air around them. Slowly his tongue continued to lap at the sensitive spot at the top of her breast, causing her to bite down on her bottom lip.

The warmth soon parted, quickly placing itself upon the opposing mound. Ty Lee could feel the rush of blood beginning to pool in the spot betwixt her legs. She idly thought to herself that Zuko was far too skilled at this, and she wondered if he had gotten any practice with these skills. A brief flash of her friend Mai passed through her mind, before being replaced by an additional layer of haze, lost in the heat she was feeling in her body.

Trying to find some relief from her feelings, the girl bucked her hips upwards towards the teen atop her, eager for him to cease his teasing. But he seemed to have other ideas, as he moved his body just far enough away to leave her unable to find the closeness she was so craving.

Pulling his hands from beneath her body, he set them again to massaging her supple breasts, the pliant flesh appealing to his sense of touch. Circling his fingers around the base of her soft features, he squeezed them firmly, running his thumbs against the firm nipples as his hands moved along the soft flesh.

Each pass over the light brown nubs brought deeper moans from the girl, and Zuko smirked as he filed the information into his memory. But as he teased the girl's breasts, he felt the blood rushing throughout his body, an uncomfortable feeling growing between his legs.

The uncomfortable pressure increased, as the girl's slender fingers slipped down along his body, teasingly running her hand along the bulge that had formed in his pants. A playful smirk played itself across her lips, her ruby tongue running sensually along her lower lip, causing the young man to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat.

A brief flash of embarrassment washed over him, the feeling he was getting at her touch soon washing it away. His eyes flashing open, he watched as the girl's fingers continued to tease his erect manhood. Slowly his gaze traveled along her exposed skin, watching as her breasts swayed gently as her right arm moved, her fingers firmly grasping him at the most sensitive spot.

Never one to be outdone, Zuko hooked his fingers into the waist of her pants, running his thumbs in small circles just beneath the red fabric. Slowly snaking his hands towards the center of her body, he began to undo the black sash that held the garment in place, watching as the material slowly opened, a cool rush of night air brushing against her newly exposed skin.

A hungry, predatorily look in his eyes, the young Fire Lord began to remove the girl's pants, her firm butt lifting off the ground just long enough for him to accomplish the task at hand. His eyes gazed in appreciation as the moonlight glinted off the girl's flawlessly smooth skin, the shape of her legs nearly perfect to his appraising gaze.

As he slipped the last measure of clothing from her lower half, Zuko tossed the red garment just beyond her grasp, her brown bangs hanging loosely around her face as she looked up at him. In the pale moonlight, he could notice a slight darkening of her cheeks, a trace of embarrassment at being so thoroughly exposed in front of him. In reassurance, he leaned down, pressing his lips to hers as his hands found their way to her knees, slowly sliding his fingers along the inside of her strong thighs.

The softness and smoothness struck him as his fingers continued to explore her body fully, each inch covered with his warm fingers bringing the delightful moans from her lips, each one being caught in his mouth. As his hands roamed along her legs, his tongue parted her lips, delving deeply into her waiting mouth, finding her own tongue awaiting his.

Neither was thinking fully at that moment, focusing simply on pleasing their partner. Light, teased moans turned to a single deep gasp as Zuko's right hand rubbed slowly, tenderly along her lower lips. Sensing that she as enjoying his ministrations, he continued to rub against the spot between her legs. Her legs parted as though on instinct, offering him further access to her deepest spots.

Taking her natural reaction as unspoken permission, he slipped a finger between her lips, finding a surprisingly dampness within her. Parting their lips, he noticed the embarrassed look on her face, and he brought the fluid soaked finger to his lips. Smiling teasingly, he slipped it between his lips, embellishing the gesture with a smacking of his lips.

"Mmm. How delightful," he said, honestly but still teasing the younger girl. His smirk disappeared as the girl set about undoing the blue sash around his own waist, lips drawn in determination as she undid the strong knot. "W-what are you doing?" he asked a bit hesitantly, surprised at the look on her face.

"I can't wait any more, Zuko," she responded earnestly, brows furrowed as though in frustration. Zuko chuckled a bit at her reaction, placing his hand atop hers. Looking into her eyes, he settled her down a bit, the knot slowly coming undone. The girl grinned in satisfaction, pulling the sash off and tossing it atop her discarded pants.

A look like someone opening a new gift was the only way to describe the eagerness with which the young acrobat removed his pants, tugging the black material down his strong legs. As the material slipped down towards his knees, the girl's eyes widened as his fully erect manhood sprang free from its confines.

Her eyes passed from the erect piece of flesh to the eyes of its owner, and she felt a short gush between her own legs. She felt a sort of happiness, knowing that she had had such an effect on him. But as she thought on it, Ty Lee could not help but wonder something, and she felt she needed to know.

"Umm, Zuko?" she asked innocently, drawing his gaze to her soft grey eyes again.

"What is it, Ty Lee?" he returned, fearing that she was becoming uncomfortable with what they were doing. As if sensing his fear, the girl hooked her left leg around his waist, holding him firmly in place.

"Is this, you know, your... First…?" she asked sweetly, earning a surprised look from the young Fire Lord. Part of her told her it was a silly question, and he had obviously enjoyed Mai's company on more than one occasion. But that part of her was shut up as he lovingly brushed the back of his right hand against her cheek.

"It's my first, Ty Lee," he admitted, his acrobatic friend looking at him in near disbelief. She was going to be his first. The thought made her giddy, and she hungrily pressed her lips to his. Her eyes flashed open with a sudden, sharp pain, feeling her virginity being taken as he pushed slowly into her.

The pain was something she had been prepared for, something she had expected. Yet, it still managed to take her by surprise, a gasp passing through her lips as her fingers dug almost painfully into Zuko's back.

Before he could ask for her condition, the girl nodded her head, smiling as she knew he would be worried about her. Clenching her teeth a bit, she winced as he pushed slowly into her, each push its own mixture of pain and pleasure. Finally, his full length had found its way into her, and the pair relaxed a bit. Ty Lee tried to grow accustomed to the warm shaft currently filling her deepest, most secret of spots.

Holding down the girl's hips, Zuko slowly pulled himself out of her, a light slurping noise sounding lewdly in his ears. The warmth that surrounded him was so intense, it felt as though he might simply melt, the tightness like a vice grip trying to hold him in place. As he pulled back, the painful groans of the young girl slowly turned to enraptured moans, her arms passionately wrapped around his neck.

The slick, warm fluids dripping from her velvety flower coated his manhood as he pulled back, leaving only the head within the soft vice grip. With a groan, he thrust deeply into her, plunging up to the base in one hard thrust. As he bottomed out inside of her, the girl moaned loudly, the lustful sound of his own name bouncing in his ears.

Slowly, they built a rhythm, his thrusts down met with her own thrusts upward, each time trying to somehow get him deeper inside of her. Taking hold of her sensual, full hips, Zuko pulled the girl up towards him, spurred on by her insistent, lustful moans. Her legs clasped together at the ankles around his back, pulling him closer as she pushed eagerly up towards him.

For both, the closeness was not enough, any space between them too much to handle. Ty Lee regretted not removing Zuko's shirt, but found that it felt good rubbing against her bare breasts. Their hips ground together, sounds of passion mingling together into one heavy sound.

Time lost all meaning, neither wanting the moment to end. But finally, Zuko felt his body beginning to stir anew, looking into the girl's foggy grey eyes as he attempted to hold off. A gentle nod of the head, accompanied by a light swaying of her chocolate bangs, and the young Fire Lord sped up his motions.

The girl began to pant and moan with more urgency, her own body tensing as her climax approached. One final thrust, and their bodies seemed as though they were one body, the young man spurting his reproductive essence deeply into the younger girl, her previously virgin tunnel clenching tightly around him.

A few weak thrusts from the young man as he emptied himself within the young girl, before collapsing on top of her completely spent. Gathering himself up, he lay against the sand, looking over at his newfound lover. The girl cuddled up close to the young man, a dreamy smile etched across her soft features. A distinct glow emanated between the two, and neither could recall a moment in which they had felt more fulfilled.

"Wow, Zuko, that was amazing. Are you sure that was your first time?" Ty Lee asked somewhat jokingly, smiling as she felt his arm squeeze her shoulder a bit tighter. The girl nuzzled her head against his still clothed chest, a bit disappointed that she was the only one to have exposed her entire being to her partner.

"Yeah, it was. But it really was fun, wasn't it?" he responded, smiling as the girl simply nodded her head. Silky smooth chocolate locks waved lightly in the breeze as the girl's eyes began to hood closed.

"Zuko?" she asked contently, staring out at the reflection of the nearly full moon on the ocean's surface. Clear violet skies reached out as far as the horizon went, and the world felt as peaceful as it looked.

"Hmm?" he asked in turn, his own gaze resting on the head of the young girl in his arms, his fingers idly brushing through the brown locks.

"That was really special, you know?" she said honestly, her heart bursting with feelings for the young man. She knew that if she had been willing with any other man she had met, they would not have been as sensitive to her body as Zuko had been. She was grateful that she had finally found her so-called Prince charming.

"Yeah, it was," he responded, smiling at the sleepy tone on her voice.

"I hope we can stay like this forever," she whispered dreamily, feeling sleep creeping up on her despite the exposed condition she was in. The feel of Zuko's warm body against hers was all the comfort she needed, and she let sleep take its course. The young royal looked at his longtime friend, and smiled, kissing the crown of her head as he slipped from her arms.

Removing his silky black shirt, he carefully covered her body with the garment, brushing her bangs from her face as he stood. Pulling his pants back to their position on his waist, he made his way towards the small pile of discarded clothing, grabbing the dark blue sash to fasten the garment in place. Turning towards the ocean, he watched the tides roll in and out, the foamy water washing along the shoreline. The crisp smell of salty air calmed him, and his smile warmed as he heard the light mumblings of the Fire Nation acrobat.

"Me too, Ty Lee," he responded happily to her statement. He knew that eventually, something would have to be done. He couldn't shirk his responsibilities as the Fire Lord, and he would have to confess to Mai when he saw her. But right then, all that mattered to him was Ty Lee.

"I'm so selfish," he said to himself, smirking sadly as the weight of his decision sat on his shoulders. Bringing his hands up to his face, he watched the lightly calloused palms, a second thought coming to mind.

A gentle snap of the fingers and his eyes widened as a light green flame danced on the tip of his right index finger. A warm, tingling sensation emanated from the center of his chest, where his sister's lighting had left him scarred. Running his free hand over the mark, he felt the warmth increase as he thought more of the young acrobat.

"This is so weird," he muttered to himself, flinging the green orb of flame out to sea. It petered out within a few feet, after turning to the usual reddish color. He had an idea as to the cause of this new development, but there as only one person who could give him any answers on this island.

Making his way next to the young girl, he crouched down, running his fingers through the sand. As the characters came to life, he was thankful for the moonlight. Stepping back, he made sure the note was legible. Satisfied with it, he bent down once more, placing a soft kiss on the younger girl's lips.

"Hopefully he can at least explain it," he said, smile etched on his face as he made his way through town.

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**Alright, I hadn't planned on there being any significance to the green fire, but the other day I was reading something about the meaning of colors, and it was just too fitting for me to ignore. Who could Zuko be going to for some answers? And what kind of answers could they be? And did Zuko just leave a nearly naked Ty Lee on the beach? Don't worry, I think everyone knows better than to try anything :P That said, hopefully I didn't alienate all the readers with this chapter ^_^;; Again, no more lemons here unless (for some reason) the fans so request it. Otherwise, enjoy the Zuko x Ty Lee cotton candiness in the next installment. **


	16. Chapter 16: Changing the World

**Chapter 16: Changing the World**

**Rating: K**

**Woo, here is the next chapter, where our story starts coming into focus. What is up with Zuko's green fire? How is this going to have a happy ending? And, is there... a new Avatar!? The answer to the last one is a negative, at least in the context of an original character. But the possibility came to me as I was watching, and I will include a brief explanation of that in the comments at the end. One warning, this one does not necessarily nullify the previous chapter, sorry. Couldn't think of a way to have it make sense. But after this chapter, things start to get busy, and Mai gets introduced shortly. Not sure when exactly, but it is coming. Thoughts on the plot's direction are appreciated, and hope you enjoy the chapter.

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Following the guidance offered by the moonlight, Zuko made his way slowly up the hill, the mountain above the town sending down a short, cool breeze. He was thankful at that moment that he was a fire bender, able to keep himself comfortable in such conditions with little effort. Casting a look back towards the beach, he hoped that Ty Lee would not contract a cold or anything like that.

Thoughts of the young brunette sent his heart beating faster, his entire chest nearly numbing with a soothing warmth. Pressing his right hand against his chest, he focused on his energy flow, feeling it running more freely than he had ever felt before. The young Fire Lord wondered if maybe the increase in energy through his chest had something to do with the mysterious new flame he could produce.

Loosely clenching his fist, he closed his eyes, letting his feet rest briefly in position on the hardened ground. Letting all thought leave his mind, he focused on the pure energy flowing throughout his body. Remembering the fire bender's source of energy, he felt the energy rise from his stomach, steadily filling his entire being. But again, as it reached his chest, the flow increased, the warmth soothing his body.

As he let his eyes slide open, he was puzzled as the flame around his enclosed fist glowed with a bright green, the emerald blaze dancing in the pale moonlight. A smile crossed his face at the sight, its beauty still new to his eyes, which had grown accustomed to the reds and oranges of his natural flames.

Opening his hand, he focused on the flame, bringing it into a small sphere. Moving his fingers carefully, he manipulated the flame, watching as bits sparked outward, stretching it across his opened palm. Shaking his head, he quickly closed his hand, dispersing the blaze out into the cool night sky.

"Damnit, this is so weird," he muttered to himself, turning his golden eyes onto the area atop the large hill. Taking in a deep breath, he carefully placed his hands within the silken pockets of his pants, making his way towards the top of the hill.

Each step felt more purposeful than the last, an urge for answers resounding in his head as he walked. Zuko could feel something strange going on inside of him, but it was not the familiar turmoil. It was something he couldn't explain, couldn't describe with any words he had ever learned. But he knew it was pleasant. He knew as well that, whatever it was, it was probably spiritual, and there was only one person he knew, other than his uncle Iroh, that could give him answers.

Reaching the top of the hill, he looked from the meeting hall to the house just on the right of it, across the wide street from Sokka and Suki's home. He joked to himself how Ty Lee had been placed seemingly as far away from them as possible. Suki could be fairly jealous, and he figured that was the reason.

Turning gently to his right, he approached the comfortable looking home, hoping that he wouldn't be getting too much punishment for waking the Avatar from his slumber. As he pulled to a stop in front of the door, he hesitated a bit. Should he really do this? What if Aang didn't have the answers he was looking for?

The pleasant, warm feeling in his chest wavered, the flow of energy from his stomach turning to more of a lurch. Closing his eyes once again, he tried to calm himself down, a smile creasing his face as he imagined the bright glow of Ty Lee's infectious smile. The simple thought calmed him, and he chuckled a bit at his own silliness.

"Oh well, guess there's only one way to find out," he said to himself, pulling his right hand from its resting place in his pocket. Closing his fingers into a fist, he firmly pounded on the front door. The sound that greeted him made him cringe a bit, and he wondered anew if it had been a good idea.

But as no sounds of stirring within the building reached his ears, he banged again, again eliciting a wince from the young Fire Lord. Finally, he heard muffled groans if discomfort at being woken up, accompanied by a set of heavy footsteps. A lone hand grabbed the handle of the door, pulling it clumsily until the door swung open.

"Mm… Zuko? What are you doing here this time of night?" Aang asked sleepily, hand rubbing his eyes as he yawned.

"Sorry, Aang. I wouldn't bug you if it wasn't important. Can we go somewhere and talk?" he asked somewhat nervously, catching the raised brow from his younger friend. Within the house, he heard the loud snoring of the young earth bender, and he wondered silently how anyone could sleep with such noise around.

"What is it?" Aang asked a bit more evenly, eyes still hooded half closed in sleep. A hike of his head towards the small patch of forest beyond the village, and Zuko motioned for the younger boy to follow. A hint of confusion passed over the boy's gray eyes, before carefully sliding the door closed.

The pair walked slowly through the empty town, Aang even more curious about the situation as he realized that Zuko was shirtless. He watched as the older teen walked past the last of the houses, pushing a few branches out of his path as he walked through the layer of forest.

Finally, they reached a small clearing, and Zuko smiled a bit as he remembered apologizing to Toph in the very same clearing. Taking position on the far side of the small opening, he watched as Aang stood opposite him, still looking curiously at the Fire Lord.

"So, you going to tell me what this is all about?" Aang asked, a hint of annoyance in his voice. Zuko could tell the boy was tired, and he idly wondered what he had been up to during the party. But he needed his answer.

"I want to show you something," he said simply, closing his eyes as he concentrated again, feeling the energy begin to flow through him. Rising from his stomach throughout his body as usual, his mind again showed him flashes of the bright smile he had come to enjoy, where he had once thought of it with near revulsion and annoyance.

In a flash of light, a flame emitted from his hand, and Aang's gray eyes opened in surprise at the tone of it. A warm, inviting emerald color emanated from the older boy's right hand, dancing playfully on his palm. Slowly Zuko opened his eyes, smiling at the look of wonder and surprise on the younger boy's face.

"Wow! Zuko, how did you do that?" he asked eagerly, earning a slight frown from the young prince. Using his fingers to manipulate the small flame, he split it into five parts, each finding a place on the tip of one of his fingers. Aang simply moved closer to his friend, as though drawn by the lustrous glow of the unique flame.

"Actually, I was hoping you could tell me," Zuko said genuinely, blowing out the flames on his fingertips with a gentle breath. As he watched his younger friend, Zuko felt a sense of guilt wash over him, wondering how he could ever have thought this boy a menace, someone to be captured.

"I don't know, Zuko. I've never been able to do anything like that, so how can I help? I would think I am the on who needs lessons from you," he said half jokingly, producing his own flame in his hand, tossing the red-orange ball from one hand to another.

"It's actually not about the flame itself, Aang. It's about this," Zuko said weakly, clasping lightly at the burn scar in the center of his chest. The Avatar's flame dispersed, and he looked in concern at the older boy.

"You want to get rid of the scar?" he asked innocently, eliciting a slightly annoyed groan from the Fire Nation royal. A deep, calming breath passed through his lips, before he looked imploringly at his friend.

"No, it's not that. It's an energy thing," he said in some frustration, trying to think of the right words to phrase his problem. Dropping down onto his backside, he watched as his friend do the same, the pair sitting cross legged opposite one another.

"An energy thing? Like, your chi flow?" Aang asked, trying to clarify the situation. The Fire Lord seemed to think for a moment, before nodding his head gently in affirmation of his statement.

"It's like, I don't know. The last couple days, whenever I try to fire bend, I feel this strong surge of energy through my chest. It's like this incredibly warm, tingling feeling. And…" he hesitated on whether he should explain the rest of his dilemma, but the Avatar's face made it impossible to lie. "… whenever I think about Ty Lee, it feels like it's going to burn me from the inside, and that's when I get these green flames." As he finished, he winced a bit at the grin from his younger friend.

"I thought you two were already going out?" Aang asked innocently, drawing a content smile from his friend.

"Well, there are definitely some… concerns, but, yeah, I think we are," Zuko explained as well as he could, leaning back onto his palms as his gaze shifted up towards the moon. The large orb seemed to watch over him, as though a spirit was guiding him through his problems.

"I don't think I'm the right person to talk to about romantic stuff. I think you want to talk to Sokka," Aang said unhelpfully, Zuko groaning again in response.

"No, it's not a girl thing. It's a spiritual, energy, chi thing," the teen muttered, feeling silly for trying to speak regarding something with which he was entirely unfamiliar. "God, I wish uncle was here. He would know what's wrong with me," he mumbled in frustration, not noticing the young Avatar slip into a moment of deep thought.

"Hmm, maybe it's love…" the boy said straightly, his older friend nearly choking as the words escaped his lips.

"What the hell does love have to do with my energy being all messed up," Zuko shouted, thankful that they were not in the center of town. His brows knit together in frustration, fearing that he would not get any answers.

"Oh, no, I didn't mean it like that," Aang answered nervously, waving his hands in front of his face as though to fend off the young fire bender. "I mean, I think it has to do with your Air chakra," he said finally, noting the confusion on the face of the Fire Nation monarch.

"Air chakra?" he asked, watching intently as the boy nodded his head.

"Yeah. Before the fall of Ba Sing Se," here the Avatar paused, apologizing gently for bringing up the sore topic. A shake of the head from the Fire Lord urged the boy to continue.

"Anyway, before that, I went to see Guru Pathik at the Eastern Air Temple after receiving a letter saying he could teach me to control the Avatar state," he continued, noting the surprised look on the older boy's face.

"When I was there, he told me about the chakra, the pools of energy at certain points in the body," he went on, Zuko nodding in understanding of the subject so far. "Without going into too much detail, I think the one that is affecting you right now is the Air chakra, in the center of the chest, near the heart," for emphasis, the younger boy pressed his hand against his own chest.

"What does it mean?" Zuko asked curiously, his eyes alight with wonder at the subject.

"It is a chakra that circulates energy through love, and it is blocked by grief. I think yours might have gotten sort of kicked into high gear when you took that lightning from Azula. It might explain a few things," Aang thought aloud, stroking his chin in thought.

"Love, huh?" Zuko reiterated, a gentle nod from his younger friend.

"Yeah. I am just guessing, but I think that activating it would make you more open to loving and being loved, and allow you to empathize more with others. So, it might have just made you more attuned to the positive energy from Ty Lee," Aang continued with his explanation, smiling as he spoke.

"Wow. So, what, if it got blocked, things would change?" he asked, a little ping of fear in his chest at the answer.

"I don't think so. I think it was just sort of a kick into high gear. If it ever got blocked again, you might not be as positive and fun-loving, but I don't think you would go back to the angry, grouchy Zuko either," Aang supplied helpfully and innocently, watching as the older teen sighed in relief.

For a moment, Zuko looked back up at the moon, his messy bangs falling idly in front of his eyes. The moon seemed to almost brighten as the explanation passed through his head, the implication somewhat ironic in his mind. As he imagined it, he laughed loudly, drawing a look of total confusion on the face of his friend. Catching the look out of his peripheral vision, he explained himself, eyes still focused on the ball of light illuminating the darkness.

"Oh, sorry. It's just kind of funny that the last thing Azula did was try and make me suffer, but ended up being the key to my ultimate happiness. Weird how the world works, huh?" he said, listening as his friend joined in his light hearted laughter.

"Well, I think maybe it's just karma paying you back for all the bad things that happened to you in your life," Aang said cheerfully, his legs sprawled out in front of him.

"Hey Aang, if you open all your charkas, it lets you master the Avatar state, right?" Zuko asked, thoughts of chakra and chi running in his head.

"Yeah, that's supposedly the case," Aang replied.

"So, what would happen if someone who wasn't the Avatar activated all their chakra?" Zuko asked almost excitedly, letting his smooth golden eyes fall on his younger friend.

"Hmm. I wouldn't know. You'd need to talk to the Guru for that, but I would imagine that your bending would be pretty powerful," Aang said, smiling at the prospect of Zuko facing all his inner demons, all his fears.

"I bet there's some hard work involved in that, right?" Zuko said, catching the mischievous look on the face of his friend.

"Yeah. Facing your demons, what you're afraid of, and all that stuff. I think you should try it, Zuko," Aang said, wondering how powerful a bender could be if they could truly tap into all of their chi.

"Hmm, I think I just might one of these days. But hopefully I don't have to go all the way to the Eastern Air Temple. I wonder if you would be able to guide me along?" Zuko asked, surprising the younger boy.

"M-me? But I'm no guru, I might end up causing more harm than good," the kid answered nervously, fearing that he could end up potentially crippling the older teen's chi flow.

"Aang, you're the one who saved the world. I'm sure there's nothing you can't do," he said, somewhat enviously of the younger teen.

"Well, I certainly don't think I could handle it right now, but in a few years, I'd be glad to help you Zuko," Aang said in his friendly manner, exchanging smiles with his fire bending teacher and friend.

"Sounds like fun. I wonder how surprised the others would be to see it. I bet Katara or Toph would be jealous if someone mastered their element more than they did," Zuko joked, light hearted laughter filling the clearing.

"I wouldn't want to be you in that situation, Zuko. I think Toph especially would want to spar with you," Aang said, wincing in fear as he imagined the rough time in store for anyone who could be called more a mater than Toph.

"Hmm…" Zuko grumbled to himself, a thought occurring to him.

"What is it, Zuko? Something else on your mind?"

"Yeah. How does the whole Avatar thing work?" he asked curiously, looking intently at the younger boy. Aang rubbed his chin as he thought, trying to think of where Zuko might be going with his question.

"Well, the Avatar is just the embodiment of the planet, master of all four elements, able to tap into vast cosmic powers in response to dangerous situations," Aang explained, noticing the look of confusion on his friend's face.

"No, I get all that stuff, and all the responsibilities and stuff, but what about the successions?" Zuko asked, his question slowly coming into focus for the younger boy, his gray eyes showing a glint of understanding.

"When the previous Avatar dies, the Avatar Spirit is reincarnated into a newborn baby, and a new Avatar is born," Aang continued his explanation, pulling his legs up to his chest as he continued to ponder what Zuko might be getting at.

"When you fought Azula at Ba Sing Se, how close to dead were you?" Zuko asked seriously, the young Avatar clutching at his legs tightly.

"Close enough. Do you think…?"

"… there might be a new Avatar out there? You tell me. Is it possible?" Zuko asked seriously, watching with concern as his friend thought about the possibility.

"I don't know. It hadn't occurred to me, but, I guess it's possible," Aang admitted, his mind afire with a million different thoughts.

"What nation would be the birthplace for the next Avatar?" Zuko asked, watching the thought run through the boy's head.

"The water tribe…" Aang said, turning his gaze towards Zuko as he felt a hand resting on his shoulder.

"So, is this really where you should be?" Zuko asked knowingly, a smile playing across his lips as he watched the younger boy's face light up in excitement.

"Wow, Katara is going to be so excited, to learn there might be a new Avatar," Aang shouted jubilantly, jumping to his feet. He seemed almost at a loss for what to do, eyes darting from one area of the clearing to the next.

"Well, I think you should find out for sure before you get too excited. But I imagine you'll have your work cut out for you, since you'll have to teach the kid air bending," Zuko joked, slowly pulling himself to his feet, dusting the traces of dirt from his pants.

"I'll… be a bending teacher?" Aang asked nervously, trying to hide his excitement at the prospect. The way he had been raised, it was impossible for an Avatar to teach another Avatar the elements, but his situation seemed so far outside of the norm, that it was highly possible.

"Yeah. And you'll have to deal with a possibly hard headed pupil. Think you could teach someone like Katara, or, god forbid, Sokka," Zuko joked, watching as Aang's face showed his abject horror at the idea.

"I don't think I could handle it if the next one is like Sokka," Aang admitted, shuddering a bit at the thought of Sokka as the Avatar.

"Don't worry, if there is, they'll have the last air bender, and the best water and earth benders to teach them," Zuko added, stroking his chin in thought, an amused smile on his face as he imagined what kind of person a new Avatar might be.

"What about fire bending? If you fully master it, I can't imagine a better fire bending teacher," Aang said proudly, drawing a blush from the young man.

"Nah. I don't think I have it in me to teach, but if there is a new one, I wouldn't mind helping out a bit," he added, watching the younger boy smile wide.

"It's a deal, Zuko. Wow, I better go tell Katara," Aang said excitedly, bowing respectfully before the Fire Lord, before disappearing back into town, leaving the young man on his own. He chuckled a bit at the excited nature of the current Avatar, a sense that maybe the kid would finally be allowed to choose his own path in life.

Slowly he started off towards the village, feeling traces of sleep beginning to nip at the backs of his eyelids. Rubbing it away, he saw the village come back into view, and decided to head back to the beach, hoping that the bubbly girl wouldn't be too mad. The moon began its slow descent back down the horizon, signaling that it was late in the night, or early in the morning.

Slipping his hands back in his pockets, Zuko slowly made his way down the hill, the crisp night air refreshing him as he walked. Faint traces of salt laced the air, clearing out his nostrils as he inhaled the clean scent.

As he approached the base of the hill, and the large statue of Avatar Kyoshi, Zuko caught a glimmer of movement passing around the back of the statue, his smile widening as he imagined he knew who it was. Keeping up his pace, he walked pas the statue, waiting for the figure to make a movement.

No sooner had he passed the heavy bas of the statue, then a familiar silhouette leapt from the shadow, slender fingers aimed squarely at his back. Pivoting on his feet, he wheeled around, closing the distance as he ducked beneath the thrust of fingers, circling his arms around the slender waist in one motion.

"Not nice trying to attack people out of nowhere, Ty Lee," he teased, placing his lips against hers. The girl struggled a bit in his grasp, before slumping forward against him, the smooth material of his shirt pressing against his bare skin.

"You're not one to talk about not being fair. What if someone had come by when I was lying like that? Something terrible could have happened," the girl pouted, poking the older boy squarely in the chest.

"Sorry. That's why I left that message, with the Fire Nation symbol just to the side of your hand, so nobody would mess with you," Zuko answered seriously, smiling as he clasped her hand in his, kissing her forehead in an attempt to assuage her anger.

"Oh, and you just assume everyone would pay attention to that if they see a cute, helpless girl like me lying naked on the beach?" she asked, feigning hurt and shock in her voice, even as she felt her body warming to his touch.

"Of course. Plus, you may be cute, but I think everyone knows you're far from helpless, right?" he said, praising two of her notable attributes with one statement. The girl blushed a light shade of pink, wrapping her arms around his waist in surrender, holding his warm body close to hers.

"Geez, since when are you such a smooth talker?" she asked, smiling as she remembered the flustered way that Zuko used to talk around anyone, especially young women.

"Since I came here, I guess. Everything just sort of makes sense, you know? I feel so much clearer," he admitted, running his fingers through her smooth, soft hair. He watched the locks fall idly against his fingers, a light cooing escaping her soft lips with each gentle movement.

"So, maybe you should move here?" she suggested nervously, not wanting to think that Zuko would simply go back to the Fire Nation, to live in an empty palace, dealing with an angry possibly ex girl friend. Yet, she knew there was no way that Zuko would give up the opulent royal lifestyle to live in simple relaxation.

"Sure," he said somewhat seriously, somewhat jokingly. The girl pulled away from him a bit, the shock evident in her smoky grey eyes as she looked up at him, looking for some hint that he was just playing around.

"Really, Zuko?" she asked hesitantly, her joy close enough to bursting from her chest.

"Sure. I can't think of anything more enjoyable at the moment, than to just live here with you, and raise a family," the pair both smiled at the prospect of being parents, both certain that the other would make a fine parent.

"Oh, Zuko, that sounds wonderful," Ty Lee said excitedly, throwing her arms around his neck as she hugged him warmly, saccharine smile plastered on her face as she took in the thought.

"I just wish it was that easy," Zuko said weakly, feeling his dreams shattering within his mind. "But the Fire Nation just won't let their Lord leave, abandon them in times of such hardship for them," he continued, squeezing his arms tighter around her waist, not wanting to let his dream vanish.

"Oh, but you've earned it, Zuko. I'm sure the people of the Fire Nation would understand. I mean, you're part of the group that helped end the war," Ty Lee said fervently, trying to force her mind to come up with some idea that could allow Zuko his freedom, without completely abandoning his responsibilities. If there was one thing she knew about Zuko, it was how seriously he took his commitments.

"The people…" he said, an idea dawning on him. Placing his hands on the girl's shoulders, he shook her somewhat excitedly, surprising her with the suddenness.

"W-what about the people?" she asked nervously, fearing that Zuko may simply have cracked.

"That's the answer. That's how I can solve the problems," he said, clasping his arms around the younger girl.

"I don't get it, Zuko. What do you mean?"

"I'll just abdicate, and let the people choose a leader for themselves," he explained, causing the girl to look at him incredulously.

"Do you really think that would work?" she asked, finding herself excited at the prospect. It would be a first among the four nations, for a people to elect their own government. But, she knew that if anyone were to get such a notion accepted, it would be Zuko, with the help from the Avatar.

"It has to work, Ty Lee," he said, tilting the girl's chin up towards him, allowing him to gaze into her soft grey eyes. "And I have the perfect person to nominate for the top position," he added, a smile glowing in his eyes.

"Who do you think would be good?"

"Mai." he said simply, watching the brunette's eyes go wide in surprise.

"Mai? You mean, our Mai?" she asked in shock, working through the notion of her friend in charge of the Fire Nation.

"The same one. I'm not sure if she would really want to do it, but I think she would be perfect. She has a cool, even head that is perfect for negotiations, and she can be… shrewd when called for," he winced just a bit, using a synonym for ruthless.

"But Mai's not one for being in control, you know. She gets bored easily," Ty Lee said, letting herself consider the idea with some hesitancy. She knew that if the situation called for it, Mai could be quite assertive, but such conditions seldom came up.

"I know. But that's part of why she's perfect. She's not too ambitious, and she doesn't like TOO much responsibility, so no worries of just dissolving things and setting up her own dictatorship. There is a lot to sort out, for sure, but I think this could work," Zuko said, running through all the logistics in his mind.

"I don't know Zuko. Sounds kind of risky. What if someone just starts the war again?" Ty Lee asked, quieting as Zuko pressed a finger to her soft lips.

"Did you already forget? You said it yourself. I'm part of the group that stopped the war. No way anyone would want to go against that, would they?" he asked somewhat rhetorically, knowing that the answer would have to be no. "And I think that goes for anyone in any of the three remaining nations," he added confidently.

"That's true. Do you think Aang would go along with it?" Ty Lee asked, the hope for the idea resting firmly in her heart.

"I can't imagine anyone else being more for it," Zuko said, clasping the girl's hand in his, looking into her lustrous grey eyes. "So, I think we better catch him before he leaves," Zuko said, pulling the girl gently along as he headed off towards the Avatar's resting place.

"Why would he be leaving tomorrow? I thought he would be staying until your vacation was over, at least," she responded, catching a playful, mischievous grin on Zuko's face as he turned back towards her.

"Ty Lee, I think we're going to really change the world," he said, his mind flowing with all the possibilities. Whatever might come, he had to be thankful that he had decided on this vacation. It seemed to him that his true destiny was coming into clear focus, and the idea thrilled him greatly.

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**Mai as the leader of the Fire Nation? How could such a thing happen? Well, she does have the right attitude to be a leader... though winning an election could be hard. Can Zuko convince her to take the job? As for the whole 'there is a new Avatar bit', that thought came about as I watched Crossroads of Destiny, and I remembered that a new Avatar is born when the previous one dies. This story will just have that as a brief angle, since Aang was, technically, dead and they make no notes on how long an Avatar has to be dead. Also, as for the explanation of Zuko's green flame. It takes a bit of what I remember from Guru Pathik's explanation of chakra, and something I read the other day about the Heart chakra (also known as Anahata). Made a lot of sense to me in the context of the story. If you all think I am going too far with the story's direction, I am not beyond re-writes at this point. Many thanks to all who reviewed, and hope all you readers continue to enjoy the story.**


	17. Chapter 17: Is He Crazy?

**Chapter 17: Is He Crazy!?**

**Rating: K**

**In this chapter, Zuko explains the basics of his plan to the others. This one felt a little messy writing it, since I sort of changed it on the fly. Thoughts about how it came out are appreciated. Also, a bit of a status update at the bottom of the story. Not much Zuko x Ty Lee in this chapter, but that will be remedied soon, I promise. Enjoy Zuko's craziness.

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"Ty Lee, I need you to go wake up Sokka and Suki, then bring them to the meeting hall. I'll get Aang, Toph and Katara, and hopefully Toph isn't in too bad a mood about being woken up," Zuko said seriously, his voice cracking a bit with the force of the ideas running around in his head.

"Alright, Zuko. But you need to relax. It wouldn't do anybody any good if you had a heart attack or something," the girl joked lightly, her hand running over the good side of the young royal's face. Clasping the hand in his, he placed a soft kiss to her pink lips, before turning towards the home the Avatar had occupied.

Watching the young man go, Ty Lee then turned towards the opposite home, bounding off towards the humble structure inhabited by the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors and her boyfriend. The young brunette could still feel the anxiety from the young fire bender, could almost hear the gears turning in his head.

All she had wanted was some reassurance that she and Zuko could be together, but she found herself giggling as she walked up to the front door to Suki's home. She had somewhat been joking, talking with pure emotions, lost in a moment of rapture. But Zuko had taken the idea, and had made a decision that would change the lives of not only their little group, but the whole world if it worked out.

"Suki! Sokka! You guys need to get up quickly!" the bubbly girl shouted, pounding enthusiastically on their front door. A quick shout of startled frustration echoed from deep within the house, followed by a few odd bangs as no doubt the pair fumbled to prepare for some disaster.

"What is it Ty Lee? What's happening?" Sokka was the first to the door, swinging it wide open even as his eyes remained half closed with sleep. The girl cocked her head a bit to the side as she looked at him, watching as the sleep slipped from his eyes.

"Ty Lee? What's going on?" Suki mumbled sleepily, a distinct tone of anger in her voice as she looked at the peppy girl. The sleep addled expression slipped away as she looked over the young acrobat. A knowing sigh passed through peach colored lips as a picture appeared in her head. "Where's your shirt?" she asked, causing a small blush to appear on the girl's cheeks.

"What do you mean, Suki? Isn't that… her… OH MY GOD!!" Sokka said, the realization dawning on him in mid sentence. Pointing sarcastically at the young girl, he feigned outrage, statements about his purity and his brain being dirtied with the thought of it.

"God, Sokka. You're overreacting," Suki scolded, nudging her boyfriend in the side. The dark blue robe she wore hung down to just above her ankles, a white sash holding it closed to hide the sleepwear she had worn to bed that evening. "Congratulations, Ty Lee," the auburn haired girl said somewhat teasingly, throwing her arms around the girl.

"Umm… thanks, Suki," Ty Lee responded, not fully sure of how to react to the words of congratulations.

"But, didn't Katara say to take it easy until at least tomorrow?" Suki said, feigning sternness as she pulled away from the younger girl, her dark green shirt appearing through an opening at the top of the robe.

"Well, it just kind of…. Happened," Ty Lee explained gently, a wide grin on her face as she recalled the events of only a few hours before. A darker flush appeared on her face as she recalled her state of dress upon awakening only a few minutes earlier, and finding Zuko's shirt draped over her bare form.

"Don't tell me that's what you woke me up for? To brag that you two slept together?" Sokka mumbled grumpily, Ty Lee's eyes widening as she remembered her reason for being there.

"Oh! No, it's not that. Zuko needs to talk to you guys at the meeting hall. He's getting Aang and the others right now, so I assume he'll be there shortly," Ty Lee said enthusiastically, her energy eliciting a groan from the pair in front of her.

"What could he need to talk to everyone about so late at night? I thought fire benders were like weakened by the moon or something. Shouldn't that make him sleepy?" Sokka said sarcastically, a loud yawn escaping his lips.

"I don't know, but it's something really important," Ty Lee pleaded, looking as sincerely as possible at the older teens in front of her. Suki and Sokka looked to one another before sighing in acceptance, nodding as they slipped back into their shared home.

"Just give us a minute to get changed," Suki said sweetly, earning a happy nod from the bubbly brunette. As they closed the front door, leaving the other girl to head back to the meeting hall, Suki and Sokka looked in concern to one another.

"What do you think is going on?" Sokka asked his girlfriend, slipping his blue tunic over his head, reaching out for his discarded black pants. "Seems like it's got her pretty excited, but I guess that's not necessarily saying much," he joked, fastening the leggings around his waist.

"I don't know. But for Zuko to call us all out so late at night, it must be pretty important," Suki said, her eyes narrowed in concentration as she tried to think of what he could be considering. "I just don't get what he needs us all for," she admitted, fastening her blue blouse over her rounded bust.

"That hot head, doesn't he know that some people need to sleep? There's no way this couldn't have waited until tomorrow," Sokka complained, loosely fitting a tie around his hair, pulling it into his trademark wolf's tail.

"Who knows? Only one way to find out," Suki added, fitting her blue pants around her own waist, before slipping on her most comfortable pair of shoes.

"All I know is this better be good," Sokka grumbled, sighing as he slipped from his home into the cool chill of the night. His mood was only further annoyed as he entered the meeting hall, greeted by the sight of an oddly happy fire bender, reminding one more of his uncle Iroh than the Fire Lord Zuko.

"Oh, sorry for waking you guys," Zuko said, bowing his head in apology from his seat near the center of the room, his right leg pulled up towards his chest. Ty Lee had taken up a position on his left, smiling as she whispered something to the young man. "Ugh, I just know Katara's going to be pissed," he said in response, motioning for the younger teens to have a seat.

"Geez, secret meetings in the middle of the night? You'd almost think _you_ ran this village," Sokka said sarcastically, earning a small smile in response.

"No, it's nothing like that. It's just that I wanted to get your thoughts on it before Aang left, since I'm not sure how long it would be until we see him again," Zuko said as humbly as he could, truly apologetic for stirring the pair in the middle of the night.

"Why would Aang suddenly leave? He told us he was going to be staying another couple of days," Suki asked, echoing a similar sentiment to the one expressed by Ty Lee earlier that morning.

"Well, I'm not sure, but assuming he and Katara did make that decision, I think it would be better for them to tell you," he responded evenly, a knowing smile playing across his lips.

"What's with all the secrets? This is already driving me nuts," Sokka said, ruffling his fingers through his hair in frustration.

"Sorry, I just don't want to say anything I can't be sure of," Zuko explained, his words calming the darker skinned boy a bit.

"Aww, since when are you so patient, Zuko?" Ty Lee joked, circling her arms around his, pressing her head against his shoulder.

"Who knows. Guess I just grew up," he responded easily, placing a soft kiss on the girl's forehead, to the amusement of the others present.

"Aww, how sweet," Suki said with an oddly saccharine voice.

"Gross if you ask me," Sokka said, sticking his tongue out in distaste for the sickeningly sweet display in front of him.

"Oh, just because you're not the one making the kissy faces, it's gross?" the attention of the four teens was drawn to the entranceway, a dark haired silhouette excitedly making her way into the wide open room.

"Hmph. So you're saying it's alright for Zuko to just be making out in public? Excuse me if the sight is not exactly pleasant," Sokka argued, leaning back on his palms as he turned his attention away from the sight in front of him.

"Oh, I think it's nice," Aang chirped from Katara's side, his monk's outfit loosely hanging around his still slender arms and legs.

"Sorry Twinkle Toes, I'm going to have to agree with Sokka. Definitely not something I'd like to be seeing," Toph said sleepily, distinct disdain in her voice as she spoke.

"Hah. I knew that Toph would agree with me," Sokka said in appreciation, before remembering that the girl was blind, and that her brand of vision did not work in the wooden room. "Damnit Toph, you have to stop doing that!" he shouted, not happy to be the butt of the girl's joke.

"Then stop falling for it every time, snoozes," Toph snorted, taking a seat to Aang's left as he sat across from Zuko. Katara took a position to his right, and each person present smiled at the warm, familial atmosphere in the room.

"Man, seems like forever since we had a chance to just sit around like this, huh?" Aang said innocently, gentle nods of agreement from the other teen heroes.

"So, Aang, what's this about you leaving tomorrow?" Sokka asked bluntly, a bit hurt that Zuko had somehow found out about it before the others. All attention turned to Aang, as he looked to Katara. The girl gave him a warm, excited smile, before turning to the others in the group, who looked on with confusion, save for Zuko.

"I think it's Zuko's fault, actually. He pointed out something I hadn't thought of," Katara said, feeling her smile widen a bit.

"What is Zuko's fault?" Suki asked accusingly, her eyes darting towards the mysteriously shirtless young man.

"He came to me this morning with some sort of spiritual questions," Aang picked up from Katara's explanation, leaving the details vague as he looked towards the young Fire Lord.

"What kind of spiritual questions?" Toph asked curiously, her feet stretched out directly in front of her. All eyes turned to Zuko for explanation, but the black haired youth simply shook his head.

"Sorry, I'll fill you guys in on that part of it some other time," he answered, his tone leaving no room for debate.

"Aww, come on. It can't be that embarrassing, Zuko," Toph replied, no caring for the definitive tone of voice. Eyes once again drifted to Zuko, who sighed in resignation at the sudden attention.

"It's not embarrassing. It was just something about my bending," he admitted, hoping that his explanation would prove satisfactory.

"You lost your bending again? You must be even more messed up than anyone thought," Toph teased again, smirking widely at the heat she could feel building within the young fire bender.

"I didn't lose it," he said innocently, hurtling a small burst of the hot substance towards the young earth bender. Her sightless eyes opened in surprise as she felt the burst die out just in front of her face, silence then falling on the room.

"Z-Zuko, what was that?" Katara asked in surprise, a tone mirrored by the others present.

"Aang told me it might have to do with one of my chakra, or something like that," Zuko explained simply, resting his hand back on the ground.

"How long have you been able to do that, Zuko?" Sokka asked, the bright image still sparkling in front of his eyes.

"Only a couple days," Zuko answered simply, giving Ty Lee a knowing smile, feeling her squeeze a bit tighter around his arm.

"That's amazing, Zuko. I've never seen it do that. How do you do it?" Suki asked, her perceptions about fire bending changing a bit as she pictured the emerald flame. Zuko lifted his right hand, producing ball of the green flame in his palm before flattening it down into a ring.

"I don't know exactly. But, I did have a little help," he responded cryptically, smiling at the confused expressions on the faces of the others. "Sorry, I really don't know any more about it than anyone. But you're forgetting why we're talking about it," he said, putting the attention back on Aang.

"Oh yeah! So, what does this have to do with you leaving?" Sokka asked, bringing the conversation back to the main topic.

"Well, he asked me something I hadn't thought about before. Something about how the Avatar cycle gets kicked into motion," Aang said, three sets of eyes widening in surprise at his simple statement.

"Oh! Wow, you don't mean that-" Sokka began enthusiastically, the words practically leaping from his lips.

"-there might be a new Avatar," Katara finished, her excitement mirroring that of her brother. All present knew the consequences of the death of an Avatar. The cycle would be continued, the spirit reincarnated into a newborn baby of a successive tribe.

"Maybe. We don't know for sure, but Katara said that I was dead, even if only for a short time, so there's a chance there's a new Avatar in the Water Tribe," Aang said, excitement lacing his words at the prospect of teaching a new Avatar the art of air bending.

"Oh my god, that's amazing! There could be two Avatars?" Ty Lee said excitedly, lifting her head from its perch against Zuko's shoulder. The young bald boy nodded, smiling from ear to ear.

"So that's why you're leaving. But, how are you going to figure out who it is? I mean, is there a test or something?" Sokka asked, light hearted chuckles escaping the lips of his younger bald friend.

"Well, something like that. I know for the Air Nomads, each baby was presented with a bunch of toys, and if they picked the right ones, they were the Avatar. Something about past life experience," he explained, wondering himself what kind of trial or rite of choosing the Water Tribe might employ.

"That's never happened before, has it? I mean, two Avatars? It's just so… amazing," Suki said, excited at the prospect. It had been documented that Avatar Kyoshi managed to survive for more than two hundred years, and few could claim to have met two Avatars.

"Do you think it's possible, Aang?" Sokka asked the younger boy, wondering what he himself could teach a younger Avatar.

"I guess so. I haven't ever heard of it happening either, but assuming that the cycle kicks into motion as soon as the previous Avatar dies, then it's possible," he admitted, trying to temper his enthusiasm for the situation.

As the questions flew about a possible second Avatar, Zuko felt as though his suggestion would seem so unimportant in comparison. His mood began to flag slightly, his body slouching a bit.

"Well, it's exciting, but Zuko had a reason to call you guys out so late at night. Right, Zuko?" Ty Lee supplied helpfully, smiling bright at the young man, who smiled in return as the attention of the others reluctantly slipped back to the young Fire Lord.

"Oh yeah, I forgot all about that. Any idea what it is about Aang?" Sokka asked, leaning in closer to his younger friend.

"No idea. I think he came up with whatever it is after we talked," Aang said, a shrug of his shoulders as he spoke.

"So, what's this important announcement, Zuko?" Katara asked seriously, not entirely liking the removal of attention from the exciting prospect of a Water Tribe Avatar.

"Actually, I need you guys' help with something," Zuko began, thinking about what he wanted to say. He knew that the matter at hand was important, maybe even more important than a new Avatar.

"I see what you mean. Who goes around in this cold with no shirt on?" Sokka joked, smirking as Zuko rolled his eyes at the younger boy, taking in a deep breath as he ignored the comment.

"No," he said simply, looking seriously straight ahead, his partner holding his arm tightly for some sort of emotional support. "I want to give up my title as Fire Lord," he said, letting his words sink into the minds of each present.

"WHAT!?" they shrieked in unison, the ramifications of such a move running through their minds.

"After all we went through to end the war, you want to just give up your title? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"And, what, you want to put Azula in charge, or maybe let good ol' Ozai run things again?" Sokka asked somewhat angrily. Words of disbelief passed from the lips of each present, save for Zuko, Ty Lee and Aang.

"Guys, I don't think that's it at all," Aang said understandingly, noting the silent, motionless face of his friend. "I think there's a lot more to it," he said, calming the others down. Zuko bowed in thanks for his friend's calm attitude, smiling as he leaned in towards the group.

"I know this is going to sound crazy, but I don't think our country needs a new Fire Lord. I think the people need to choose their destiny for themselves, not allowing a single person to choose that destiny for them," Zuko said passionately, thinking through his proposal a bit more in his mind.

"Then, what are you thinking about?" Suki asked, curious at Zuko's seemingly sudden turn of face.

"I want to give the country to the people. Let them make their own decisions. I think it's the only way to grow as a people, if they are allowed to choose their own way," he began his explanation, a bit nervous at the silent attention paid to his speech.

"So, you want to give up your throne, and just let the people pick who they want to run things? What if they just pick one of your crazy family members?" Sokka asked, his arms crossed against his chest.

"That's part of where you guys come in," he said, motioning to each person present, his heart beating stronger in his chest as he thought things over. "Prior to the people making a choice on their leader, I need you guys to help me pick a set number of people to choose from, to be certain that a person is the right fit. They are free to pick anyone to be a representative for their district, but all the representatives will ultimately report to the head official," Zuko continued, the size of it all looming large over his head.

"Us? Why us?" Toph asked, nervous about the prospect of being involved in political life.

"Yeah, couldn't you handle that yourself?" Katara said, earning a frustrated sigh from the young Lord.

"No, I can't. I will help in the process, but you all are just as well known as the heroes who ended the war, so your opinion goes a long way, even in the Fire Nation," he reasoned, each figuring he meant to add 'especially the Avatar' to his statement.

"Why all of us though?" Toph asked, reiterating the point that simply the Avatar's opinion was what mattered.

"You each represent a different nation in the world. Katara and Sokka, you are sort of the voices of the Water Tribes. Toph and Suki, you are the heroes of the Earth Kingdom. Aang is the last of the Air Nomads, in addition to being the current Avatar. I would represent the voice of the Fire Nation, but that's why it can't just be me making the call," he paused briefly, letting his words sink in for the others.

"Because if you endorsed someone, it would just seem like your puppet, right?" Sokka reasoned, earning him a nod of affirmation from the young Lord.

"That's the gist of it, yeah. People can be easily swayed by the opinions of the wealthy and otherwise elite, so that is another problem," Zuko continued, the many problems with his plan coming to light as he considered it.

"How can you deal with that then?" Sokka asked, intrigued by the young man's proposal. It seemed logical, despite its massive scope.

"The second part of where you guys come in. I want to set up a sort of safety net, a trustworthy group to ensure that things don't get corrupted, or at least that corruption doesn't get out of hand," he said, another surprised murmur from the assembled group.

"I take it you would be the sort of figure head of this group?" Toph asked sternly, causing the young man to think on that aspect for a moment.

"Not necessarily. It would not be a Fire Nation organization, but rather made up of members from the three remaining nations, with a fourth option if air benders somehow surface," he continued, watching the others look to one another for some sort of opinion.

"The leader of this group could also be elected, but ultimate authority over it would be held by the Avatar," he said, motioning to Aang, causing the boy's eyes to widen in surprise.

"Me?!" he asked nervously, not entirely able to process all that was being put in front of him.

"Not necessarily, just the Avatar. The Avatar is the most respected person in the three nations, and nobody would argue with a decision made by such a person," Zuko explained reasonably.

"Zuko, this all sounds like a lot of work," Katara said calmly, running the idea through her own mind, trying to figure if there was some kind of ultimate reward for the young Fire Lord.

"Yeah. I know. But I really do think it is for the best of the nation if the people forge their own destiny. I mean, many heads are better than one for making decisions, right?" he said, smiling gently at his group of friends.

"That's true, generally. But what if you just get a bunch of war mongers in these important positions?" Suki hesitantly asked, wondering what kind of effect such a restructuring of a world power would have on the rest of the world.

"Exactly why there will be no connections to the previous regime. Any current military officer, former confidante of the Fire Nation court, or who does not pass the 'lie detector' test will not be allowed to run for any office," he said sternly, cracking a smirk towards the young earth bender.

"Wait, so you're making me the ultimate decider?" Toph asked nervously, knowing what he meant by lie detector.

"I can't think of anyone better. You can sense when someone is being dishonest, and are more than capable of handling yourself if one of them decides to get rowdy. And the rest of us would be present for any prospective screening," Zuko explained, knowing that the girl liked having her abilities praised.

"Sounds sweet. No official titles or fancy appearances or anything, right?" Toph asked curiously, not wanting to be cooped up in any sort of political capacity.

"No, nothing like that. You can have a title if you want, but other than that you just need to keep the bad seeds out of power," he continued, watching the girl nod slightly to his suggestion.

"Then you've got yourself a lie detector," Toph acquiesced, enjoying the prospect of putting some fear into some uppity fire benders.

"Guys, I know this is a huge task, but there are too many people for one person to make the decisions. The office would be open to anyone, man or woman, so long as they are given the ok by Toph," he continued, sensing the hesitation in his friends.

"Okay, let's say all this works out perfectly, and the Fire Nation becomes some kind of publicly elected group of officials. How can you know that the bad seeds won't just get together and stage a coup or something?" Sokka asked seriously, looking straight into the golden eyes of his older friend.

"I can't," Zuko admitted directly, his eyes glancing downward at the thought. "But as Fire Lord, I also can't be sure that everything gets done the way it needs to. And if I were to be assassinated, then you know who's next in line, even with everything that's happened, don't you?" he asked evenly, uncertain glances passing between the group present.

"Azula? They would really just let that psycho run things if something happened to you?" Katara asked, sudden flashes of worry passing over her blue orbs.

"Yeah. It's the rules. That's why the rules need to be changed. I'd rather take my chances on someone I don't know than risk things ending up in the hands of someone I know isn't cut out for the job," Zuko said, letting that point sink in before continuing.

"Makes sense to me," Sokka said sternly, stroking his chin in thought.

"That would leave only one major problem, and that's the Fire Nation military," Zuko added, bringing attention to the final part of his plan.

"Yeah, I don't think the generals and admirals would just sit quietly and watch any chance for war go out the window," Katara huffed, all the memories of her encounters with Fire Nation soldiers coming to mind.

"That's the last part of where I need your help in this matter," Zuko said, looking specifically at Sokka and Toph as he spoke.

"What about us?" Aang asked hesitantly, catching a bit of Zuko's excitement over the planned restructuring. It would be a massive undertaking, especially on Zuko's part, but he seemed determined to get it to work.

"The military took heavy bites out of the budget during the war, and it is difficult to get all those soldiers to simply give up their important roles. But the nation needs its infrastructure completely overhauled, and that means heavy cutbacks on the military," he explained, the others nodding as he spoke.

"What does that have to do with us?" Sokka asked, wondering how the Fire Nation's problems were any of his business.

"Well, if the military is weakened, don't you think the disgruntled people in the Earth Kingdom or Water Tribes might take the opportunity for some payback?" Toph spoke for Zuko, the thought occurring naturally at the conclusion of what he was mentioning.

"That's my fear, yes. So, I need you each to make use of your positions of relative authority to get the leaders together to sign a treaty," Zuko spoke passionately, hoping this most difficult part would work out.

"What do you mean? We already ended the war, so why the second treaty?" Katara asked, her arms crossing as she thought about it.

"A non-aggression treaty. Just because the Fire Nation ceased hostilities, doesn't mean that all the hurt feelings go away. You need to get the leaders to agree to the treaty, and no aggressive actions will be taken, at the very least while the Fire Nation is undergoing its restructuring," Zuko said, knowing that a full blown end to aggression might be asking a bit much of the cosmos.

"You mean, force the old fogeys running things to straighten up, and put difference aside?" Toph said, a playful smirk on her face.

"Well, maybe not in quite those terms, but, yeah. So, you can intimidate the Earth King, or whatever you think will get the job done," Zuko answered somewhat jokingly, chuckling at the wide grin on Toph's face.

"I like this plan. It lets me cut loose without being tied down. Too bad you're not the one running the whole world, Zuko," Toph said admiringly, slight sounds of agreement from the others.

"That's a good point, Toph. Zuko, I think you're still the one best suited to run the Fire Nation. If you're really willing to go through all this, then I think the cosmos will find a way to keep you in place," Aang said, half joking, half seriously.

"Sorry, the cosmos will have to make due with a reshuffled deck," Zuko said somewhat nervously, fearing some karmic backlash against him. Turning his gaze to the bouncy brunette at his side, he felt himself smile wide at the sight of her smoky grey eyes.

"I have to admit, there are… ulterior motives as well for me stepping down," he admitted nervously, Aang and friends looking to each other in understanding.

"Geez, you're willing to give up all that power just for your little girlfriend there? You're a bit man, Zuko," Sokka admitted admiringly, wondering if he would be able to make a similar decision if their positions were switched.

"No. It's not really a hard decision at all, Sokka," the current Fire Lord said softly, entwining his fingers with those of his lover. The remainder of the night, the group listened as Zuko went over a few smaller details of his plan, each finding it well thought out.

"Well, I wish you a heluva lot of luck, Zuko," Sokka said sarcastically, not thrilled about having to put in so much effort for a plan he didn't even come up with. "But, you have my support. When Katara and Aang head off to the Northern Water Tribe, me and Suki will head south to talk to the guys down there. I'm sure my dad will be willing to help out too," he added, a yawn escaping his lips as he turned towards his girlfriend.

"Zuko, I have to admit I never would have imagined you just giving up your throne like this, but it's a very interesting idea. Whatever we can do to help, you have our support," the auburn haired young woman said warmly, catching her guy's arm with her own.

"It's a really crazy plan, but I wouldn't have expected anything less from you, Sparky," Toph said in appreciative praise, her mouth opening wide as she yawned tiredly.

"We'll stay a couple more days, since it sounds like we'll all be really busy with this plan of yours. Do you really think it'll work?" Katara said, hope piquing as she felt her guy's hand clutch hers tightly.

"I know it will. We already ended a 100 year long war, so what's changing a world?" Aang joked, chuckling as he caught the smile from his love.

"It should be a piece of cake. There will be a few days until I head back to the Fire Nation. I intend to enjoy the last bits of relaxation before everything gets hectic," Zuko said, giving Ty Lee a good squeeze of the hand.

"What are you going to do in the Fire Nation, Zuko?" Aang asked, figuring that he would have headed to Ba Sing Se to get advice from his uncle. Zuko's face drew into a serious expression, his gaze shifting towards the west, where he knew his personal problems were waiting to be resolved.

"Zuko has to sort things out with his first choice to take over for him," Ty Lee added cheerfully, giggling as she noticed the confused looks of the others.

"Who is his first choice?" Suki asked, to shrugs from the others.

"Mai," Zuko answered calmly, as Ty Lee hugged him tightly from behind.

"MAI!?" they each gasped in unison.

"Yeah. I'll explain that to you guys once I get her to agree to it. But there will be a big problem before that…" he said, gazing into Ty Lee's eyes.

"What problem? You mean something besides you bedding her best friend?" Sokka said in his teasing manner.

"Yeah. I'm going to enjoy the last few days of my vacation first," he joked, tugging the girl's hand gently as he made his way back down the hill, the first rays of morning sun passing over the horizon.

"I think Zuko's lost it," Sokka said sarcastically as he and Suki retreated to bed for some much needed rest.

"You said it," Toph agreed, before doing similarly.

"Aang, do you think this is really going to work?" Katara asked, as they were left alone. Aang responded by pressing his lips to hers, his arms resting around her waist.

"If anyone can make it work, it's Zuko," he said, smiling as he dragged his girl home for some relaxation. A few days rest before the hurricane that was to come would do them all some good.

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**Wow, Zuko's plan is taking shape. I didn't want to go into all the details of his plan here, so they will be spread out a bit. A status update on the story. I have to make a decision as to its direction. Either I will have it be four more chapters of fluff, with an epilogue after a falling out with Mai, or four more chapters of fluff with a completely independent sequel, detailing how things turn out. No decision yet, but it will be made relatively soon. Either way, four chapters of Zuko x Ty Lee romantic fluff to come in the next few updates. Until next time.**


	18. Chapter 18: And a Camping They Will Go

**Chapter 18: And a Camping They Will Go**

**Rating: T (maybe ? )**

**Alright, after a couple of days off, here is chapter 18 of Zuko's vacation. This one is just a relaxation type of chapter. Sokka comes up with an idea for the gang to go on a little impromptu camping trip, a chance to reconnect with the group after a long time apart. A flashback featuring Zuko and Ty Lee and what happened before the trip, and some uncomfortable feelings exposed, courtesy everyone's favorite earth bender. Some humor (hopefully) and some Ty Lee x Zuko. More of that next time, but for now, enjoy the chapter.

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Finding solace in the clear, running water of the small stream, Zuko focused on the line extending from the rod in his hand. The hook dipping just below the surface of the small torrent, the young Fire Lord felt silly performing such an activity. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the peace and quiet. He simply was not very good at catching fish, something he supposed he needed to work on.

The group had been gathered for a little field trip of sorts, a way to reconnect after such a long time apart. Sokka's idea, as one might have expected. He had come up with the brilliant idea of recapturing the old days, when they traveled around freely, foraging and scrounging for food as they went. Zuko had had more than his share of roughing it, but hanging out with the group certainly had its charms.

It had indeed been several months since they had all been together, meeting at Iroh's teashop for some much needed relaxation. The taxing chore of being well known war heroes had taken various tolls on the individuals. Aang, as the Avatar, was even more popular than ever, seen all around the world as the one who defeated the Fire Lord. Some could not believe it, to see such a small boy and imagine him defeating someone who had terrorized an entire world.

Yet, it had happened. Most were still unsure exactly how he had managed it, having left the former 'Phoenix King' alive to rot in his tiny prison cell forever. Zuko watched the small rippled in the water as the river ran around several rocks, the current pulling gently at his feet as he soaked them in the cool water. For all his difficulties as Fire Lord, he would never want the responsibility and the burden of destiny placed on the back of the Avatar.

Turning his gaze to the side a bit, the young man watched as Aang and Toph did a little bit of earth bending, supposedly sparring, but Toph as usual was trying to take the kid's head off. He cringed a bit at the thought of ever making an enemy of the small girl, and thanked the gods that it had never quite come to that.

Thoughts of the little black haired girl came to mind, and he wondered if she had made up with her family. She had mentioned once that a trap had been set for her under the premise that her parents had experienced a change of heart. He assumed that the hurt she must have felt to have it be a lie must have been heart wrenching. Even though she was quite good at hiding her emotions. It always struck him as a little unfair how she could 'read' people's feelings, yet she was a complete mystery so long as she desired it to be so.

The war probably had not affected her as much as the rest, with her extremely independent spirit and ability to more than back up whatever she said. As far as he had heard, she spent a great deal of time at the Jasmine Dragon, either avoiding her parents, or enjoying the wisdom the Iroh could impart to anyone willing to listen. Or even anyone not willing to listen. He had that mysterious way about him, that made it nearly impossibly to not take something good away from meeting him.

As he thought of his uncle, the young man felt a light breeze whip at his messy black locks, blowing them about his face as he held the fishing pole in his hand. The activity was extremely boring, but very relaxing, something he knew he needed, and the reason he had come to this island in the first place.

He wondered to himself whether the blind earth bender would mind accompanying him on his upcoming trip, as he knew he still owed her a 'field trip' as she had called it. Silly as it was, he knew he had somehow done something to help the others in the group, even with Toph being the first to accept him into the fold. A little smile crossed his face as he thought of what he could do for her, figuring he would be busy in the Earth kingdom before too long.

A loud splash woke him from his short lived daydream, Sokka humorously falling face first into the river. Apparently, a fish had caught him napping, taking him by surprise before he could brace himself. The idea of a seasoned fisherman like Sokka being taken out by a little fish was too much, and Zuko joined the others in a quick laugh at the young man's expense.

Fuming as he walked back to the shore, water dripping from all over his body, Zuko watched as the Water Tribesman was consoled by Suki, the girl smiling as she dabbed at his face with a towel. The two looked quite good together, and he wondered how long it would be before the mantle of leader of the Kyoshi warriors might be handed to a daughter. Somehow he knew that Sokka would never get a son, another thought that made him smile a bit.

The two had joined in on the initial tour of big celebrations to end the war, before disappearing to live peacefully on Kyoshi Island. Sokka had taken over for Oyaji as the village chief, Suki resuming her role as leader of the Kyoshi warriors. The two had not been officially married yet, likely due to Sokka's shyness over the matter. Zuko somehow had a feeling that Suki would have a similar reaction, resulting in an unnecessarily long delay in the matter.

Sokka always over thought the silliest things, winging it when it really counted, something that would probably put him in many awkward situations as it had in the past. It calmed Zuko to see that things had not changed too much for the group. They each seemed to have picked up life wherever they had left it off, taking the celebrity status in stride.

A light hum to his right hung loosely in his ears, and as Zuko turned towards the soft sound, he realized that not quite everything had remained the same. His smile warmed greatly as he gazed at the mop of chocolate colored hair resting on his shoulder, tightly fixed braid hanging loosely over her left shoulder. Leaning down a bit, he kissed the top of the girl's head, chuckling a bit at the gentle cooing that escaped her sweet lips.

The vacation he had undertaken had produced a series of unexpected turns for the young Fire Lord. The most important of which was currently sleeping soundly next to him, the girl leaning carelessly against his body. Ty Lee's infectious smile and energy had affected him greatly, and though he wasn't sure what the reasons were himself, he found himself drawn to the younger girl.

It was strange, that he had gone from enjoying the company of the monotone, downbeat Mai to her polar opposite, the energetic, bouncy, impossibly happy Ty Lee. Around the peppy brunette, he found it nearly impossible to be upset, or to seemingly feel anything other than utter happiness.

Leaning in a bit further, he blew teasingly into her ear, feeling her body twitch a bit next to his. He resolved to himself that he would find all her weak spots, no matter how long it might take. Turning his gaze a bit towards where Aang and Toph were "sparring", Zuko's body tensed as he caught eyes with the dark skinned water bender. Memories of earlier that morning passed through his mind, and he wondered if he would ever get over it.

***********

'_So, do you think I could go with you?' Ty Lee asked, her head resting oddly on Zuko's stomach, his fingers running calmly through her soft brown hair. The chocolate colored locks had been pulled from any hairstyle, the silky strands fanning out against the young Fire Lord's toned stomach._

'_I don't know. Do you really want to?' he asked genuinely, watching the hair fall lazily between his fingers as he combed them through the messy head of hair. The pair had just recovered from a second round of sweet, more romantic lovemaking, backing in the after glow as they talked more about Zuko's crazy plan._

'_Of course I want to go. We should both face Mai together, you know?' she said cheerfully, forcing a smile at the prospect of what she had to say to her best friend, the one who had been with her for almost their entire lives. _

'_That's going to be the hardest part of this whole thing, I think,' he admitted, placing his right palm on the girl's cheek, watching as she looked up at him. All the care she had in her body seemed to shine through the smoky grey eyes, always able to make him smile with only a simple look._

'_Yeah. I feel bad, you know? _'Oh, hi, sorry Mai, but I'm sleeping with you boyfriend'_ seems kind of icky,' the bubbly brunette said somewhat sadly, the words wounding her more with her vocalization. _

'_Well, I don't exactly feel great about it. _'Ah, Mai, sorry but I decided I like your best friend, so it's over between us_' doesn't exactly bring up the most pleasant of feelings either,' he added, a weak smile coming to his lips as the girl reached up towards him, one hand resting on the good side of his face, the other running soothingly over the rough skin of his hideous scar._

'_Don't worry, Zuko. It'll be easier with both of us there, right?' the girl supplied helpfully, smiling as the young Fire Lord reached out, grabbing her hips as he pulled her body atop his own. Their eyes sat only a few inches apart, breaths mingling between them as they stared at one another._

'_That's true. But still, I think I'll need some extra protection. Think Toph would mind accompanying me?' he had joked, the two sharing a light chuckle._

'_I bet she would love to go. She always likes a good trip, right?' Ty Lee asked sweetly, nuzzling her head against the Fire Lord's bare chest, feeling the warmth of his heartbeat against her smooth cheek._

'_Good point. I just hope she doesn't make too much trouble on the way. There was always Katara to keep her in check, but I don't know what she's like on her own,' Zuko admitted, feeling a distinct twinge of hesitation at the thought._

'_Oh, why not just have the whole group travel around? It would be more fun that way, right?' Ty Lee asked sweetly, propping her chin on his chest as she looked at him, that smile that only Ty Lee could smile capturing his attention._

'_Hmm. That does sound like fun, but there is too much to do. Everyone's going to be busy if this is going to work out. It is a really huge task,' he admitted, hesitation showing on his voice as he again stroked her soft hair, letting the silky smoothness calm him as her feminine charms pressed against his bare body._

'_Aww, no fun. You got to travel with everyone, but all I got to do was travel with Azula and Mai, and they've no fun,' Ty Lee pouted, playfully pounding her fists on his chest as she pulled into a sitting position on his stomach. The gesture and the teasing smile on her face made the young man chuckle a bit in amusement._

'_Well, the sooner we get this done, the sooner things settle down, right? After that, I'm sure that everyone wouldn't mind going on a little trip sometime,' Zuko tried to calm the younger girl, his hands resting gently on her hips as his thumb traced small circles on her perfectly smooth skin._

_He wondered if it would ever cease to stick in his mind how different their bodies were, even in terms of things as small as their skin. While his was covered in scars from battle and harsh training, hers was smooth, almost impossibly perfect to touch and to gaze at. He knew he would never grow tired of caressing the soft curves of her body, and smiled as his hands roamed up her body, her playful 'punches' dying out as his fingers traced her sides gently._

_As a stray ray of sunlight glinted off of her soft skin, the young man felt a light haze pass through his mind, and he began to lean forward, in an attempt to place a teasingly light kiss on the girl's toned stomach. But just as his lips were about to find their place, a knock rang out from the front door._

_The girl looked down at the young Fire Lord, a torn look of desire and responsibility. The look was quite adorable, and Zuko found himself wanting to kiss her even more. But as he was about to pull the girl down on top of him, a voice added itself to the knocking at the door._

'_Hey, you guys awake yet?' Katara's voice rang innocently, and Zuko groaned to himself as he felt the bouncy brunette move from her perch on his stomach. Somehow the lack of softness against his body proved uncomfortable, and he pulled himself into a sitting position, the soft green linen of the sheets pooling around his waist._

'_Alright, I'm coming,' the girl answered happily, bounding out of bed towards the front door. It took the young fire bender a moment to realize that he was staring at the girl's bare butt as she ran through the house, either not recognizing that she was naked, or nto caring one bit._

_Ever the one to overreact to a situation, the young man nearly choked as the information clicked into place. Without realizing that he himself was also in a rather bare manner of dress, he leapt from the bed as well, linens falling carelessly to the floor as he attempted to stop the girl before she reached the front door. His reaction was too late, as he heard a surprised gasp, then an equally surprised yelp._

'_Ty Lee, put some clothes on!' the water bender had shouted, the order laced with embarrassment and a hint of anger. But rushing out in that situation had not been the right call, as much like a bull on the rampage, Zuko found stopping himself rather difficult. As he tried to come to a stop, his legs ceased to listen to him, and he began to tumble forward. _

_At that particular moment, Ty Lee had appeared around the other side of the corner, gold and smoky eyes widening as their bodies crashed into one another, moans of pain emanating from their lips as they fell in a heap on the cool wood floor. Katara, ever the concerned 'mother hen' of the group, had heard the grunts of discomfort and had ventured quickly into the house, only to wish she had not._

'_Oh my god, Zuko, not you too!' she shouted, turning away quickly as the fire bender dragged his chocolate haired lover back to her room, looking for a much needed change of clothing. After mentioning Sokka's idea for a get together, the girl had hurried out of the house, not looking at either of them as she stormed out. Zuko could tell that she was embarrassed about the situation, and he would have to apologize to her._

_If she ever calmed down._

_**********  
_

"Zuko?" the voice of his young bald friend echoed lightly in his ear, bringing him out of his recollection. Turning his golden eyes on the small boy, he tried to think of what the kid might have been saying.

"Oh, sorry Aang, guess I spaced out. What is it?" he asked, taking a look around the clearing they were using as a makeshift campsite. Sokka had taken up a perch on a large boulder a bit further downstream, looking impatient to catch a fish. Suki and Toph had joined Katara in one spot, simply laying lazily in the sun on such a warm day.

"Did something happen with Katara? She seems kind of upset at you, kind of like back when you first joined us," Aang said nervously, whispering in the older teen's ear. Zuko simply sighed in frustration, wondering how he could have been so dumb.

"It's nothing. I'm sure she'll get over it eventually," he said, hoping his words would prove true eventually. As he turned his gaze back to the extended line of his fishing pole, the girl resting on his shoulder decided to murmur something in her sleep, a pleasant expression on her face.

"Mmm, that feels really nice, Zuko," her sleepy voice echoed in the clearing, drawing everyone's attention to them. Zuko would have smacked himself if his hands were not focused on keeping a grip on the fishing pole. He wanted nothing more at that moment than to be anywhere else.

"Geez, Zuko, not in public too. Learn some self control," Toph joked, smirking as she stared sightlessly at where the boy was sitting, Ty Lee leaning more heavily against his shoulder as she slept. Aang backed away a bit nervously, catching a deathlike glare from his girlfriend and figuring that he didn't want to be in the middle of whatever was going on between them.

Zuko felt as though his face would simply explode from the embarrassment he was feeling, but it passed as he felt a light tug on his line. Looking intently at the spot where the hook sat, he waited, wondering if it had just been a nervous twitch of his forearm or something. But then he felt it again, more insistent than before.

"Whoa! I caught something," he exclaimed, pulling into a standing position. With the sudden motion, the young girl who had been using him as a resting post fell to the ground, her head smacking right into the warmed earth where Zuko had been sitting a moment earlier.

"Oww! Zuko, what was that for?" she asked, jumping to her feet as she caught sight of him staring intently at the river. Sokka and Aang looked on in anticipation, watching as Zuko's bare muscles flexed with the strain. Suki and Katara glanced over as well, averting their eyes before they began to stare.

"I think it's a big one," he said, pulling harshly on the line. Sokka and Aang rushed towards him as he reeled in the large catch. Beneath the surface of the water, a shadow a little less than twice his size began to rise, and their eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh my god, that's a huge one!" Sokka shouted, watching the shadow try and fight away from the young fire bender, water beginning to splash about as it swam, frantically trying to escape its entrapment.

"Wow! You're lucky to catch such a big one, Zuko," Ty Lee said excitedly, feeling her anger disappear as she caught sight of the large fish. Zuko's body began to sweat from the effort, the moisture catching the Sun's light as it began its slow descent down the horizon.

"Well, it would be nice, except I think I'm losing my grip," he said, the strain evident on his voice. Aang and Sokka reached out for the fishing pole, adding their strength to the effort. Gradually, the huge fish began to surface from the water, its large blue-gray body slipping above the surface before sliding back below.

The girls watched intently as the guys dragged the fish from the water, the entire fish nearly above the surface. Looking to one another, the guys nodded in agreement, giving one last hard pull. With the effort, the line nearly snapped, holding just long enough for the large fish to be pulled onto the beach. Not wanting it to get away, they had Toph bring up a large earth wall around it as the guys collapsed in exhaustion.

"Holy crap, that's a huge fish. You're a natural born fisherman it seems, Zuko," Sokka admitted, clasping his hand to the older teen's shoulder in brotherhood. Harsh breaths were emitted from each, muscles aching as they lay on the warm earth.

"Yeah. Fishing is pretty hard. But it's kind of fun, too. I just wish we didn't have to kill the fish," Aang said sadly, Zuko looking to Sokka as the two shared an amused chuckle.

"No way. We caught this guy, so we're going to eat him. It's only right, to make use of what you catch, right?" Zuko reasoned, Sokka nodding in agreement as their breathing slowly came back to normal.

"Well, I suppose…" Aang said, uncomfortable with the idea of eating anything living. Zuko and Sokka had no such qualms and as soon as they were recovered, they made for the group of girls.

"Hey, someone get some firewood. We have to cook this sucker," Sokka said excitedly, drool already leaking from his lips in anticipation. A light nod from Zuko and the girls looked to one another in resignation, Suki dragging Toph and Sokka into the woods in search of firewood. Aang slipped into the river, feeling as though he needed to clean off a bit after the hard work.

"Katara?" Zuko said hesitantly, realizing that he and the water bender were alone. A moment of tense silence passed as Katara seemed to realize it as well, Ty Lee quickly remedying that dilemma by bounding over to her newly found lover.

"What is it, Zuko?" Katara asked coolly, turning her piercing blue eyes away from the young fire royal.

"Sorry about this morning," he apologized, Ty Lee's face lighting up in a faint blush as she bowed her head in apology as well. Katara raised a brow as she turned towards the pair, a feeling of guilt washing over her with the innocent looks they were giving her.

"Agh, it's fine. You apologized already, so stop doing that. It's fine on Ty Lee, but it's just creepy on you, Zuko," she joked, smiling as the pair looked to one another. The young acrobat broke into a giggle at the "innocent" look that Zuko had tried to put on. The boy growled in frustration as he turned towards the river, pulling quickly into a standing position as he huffed off towards the flowing current.

Ty Lee watched his retreating form as he approached the river, pulling her legs up towards her chest as she looked at him. The light sheen of sweat had begun to dry, but still caught the glinting of the Sun as he walked. She was brought from her ogling of him by a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Ty Lee, is everything alright?" Katara asked quietly, catching the bouncy acrobat's smoky grey eyes with her own ice blues.

"Yeah, why do you ask?" the girl replied, wondering what her friend was getting at.

"Nothing, I was just a little worried that you might be pushing yourself too much. Can I check to make sure nothing's messed up?" she asked, feeling the sun's rays against the patches of bare skin around her self sewn blue swimsuit, with small yellow flowers patterned all around.

"I guess so. But, like I said, I feel fine," Ty Lee said happily, tucking her braid behind her as she felt the cool tingle of healing water against her chest. Her pure white bikini managed to avoid getting too wet, the frilly fabric falling gently around her backside.

"Seems fine. Sure there's no problems?" Katara asked once more in concern, Ty Lee's face showing a hint of concern as she leaned in closer to the tan skinned girl.

"Well, nothing in my chest. But I do feel a little… sore…" she admitted embarrassedly, Katara's eyes rolling in her head as she caught onto what the brunette was getting at. Placing both hands on the girl's shoulders, she looked intently into the grey eyes.

"It's perfectly normal, Ty Lee. But I did tell you guys not to do anything strenuous, didn't I?" she warned, the brunette's eyes wandering off as she tried to deflect the attention.

"Sorry, Katara. It just kind of… happened," she admitted, biting her lip gently as she played the moment over again in her head. "And then again this morning," she added, blushing lightly at that. Katara's eyes widened as she thought about it.

"Wait, you already did it twice?!" she said much louder than she had intended, Zuko spitting out a mouthful of water in the distance, Aang rubbing his back in an attempt to soothe the choking of the older teen.

"Is that true?" Sokka asked, huddling close to the two girls as they talked, earning a surprised shriek as they noticed his presence. Holding his hands over his ears, the young warrior pressed his forehead against the ground as he tried to get the ringing to subside.

"God, Sokka, you shouldn't sneak up on people like that," Katara huffed, gradually feeling her heart beat return to normal.

"Yeah, Sokka. It's not nice to spy on people," Ty Lee scolded, watching as Suki and Toph approached the little group after setting their bundles of firewood on the ground near the giant fish. Taking their seats, they each raised a curious brow as they watched Sokka pound the ground in frustration.

"What's wrong with him?" Toph asked bluntly, hiking a thumb towards where she felt the agitated waves from the young man.

"He snuck up while me and Ty Lee were talking," Katara answered, nods of understanding between Suki and Toph acknowledging the situation.

"Sounds like Sokka, alright," Suki said in some frustration, letting her elbow rest on her knee, a deep sigh escaping her ruby lips.

"No kidding. You should never interrupt two girls when they're gossiping," Toph added, straightening out her emerald green shorts as her legs stretched out in front of her.

"So, what were you guys talking about?" Suki asked curiously, Sokka seemingly taking that as his cue. As he popped back to life, he made his way back to the group of girls, huddling close as he motioned for them to do the same.

"Apparently, Ty Lee and Zuko," he began, earning a smack to the back of his head from his overbearing sister.

"Sokka, that's none of your business," she steamed, frustrated that he would just try and say something like that directly.

"What happened?" Suki asked, turning to her younger friend with the eager, curious eyes of a teenage girl who had caught a juicy bit of gossip.

"I-it's really nothing…" the brunette said, trying to evade the question as best she could. She was not comfortable with saying such things aloud, and felt her face warm up with the seeming scrutiny the others were offering.

"Oh, you and Zuko getting 'busy', right?" Toph said, air quoting the word busy as she smirked at the agitation she felt from the girls assembled. Suki looked to the bubbly brunette, smirking herself as she noticed the look of embarrassment on the face of the bouncy younger girl.

"H-how did you know?" Ty Lee asked hesitantly, not wanting to look at the other girls around her.

"Well, I can't tell how he looks, but I do know that these two," pausing, she pointed towards Suki and Katara, "go into fits when they catch sight of the guy shirtless. It's totally weird," Toph said, smiling teasingly as she felt Katara, Sokka and Suki's hearts go into overdrive.

"What!?" Sokka asked loudly, angry at the fact that his girl had supposedly gotten turned on by seeing the Fire Lord's bare body.

"Sorry, Sokka. But you have to admit, he's got a great body," the girl said honestly, a weak nod from Katara in agreement seemingly settling the debate. "But it's not like we have a thing for him, or anything like that," she continued, watching with narrowed eyes as Sokka flexed his arms, trying to get the size bigger.

After a moment, the Water Tribesman exploded from his seat, making his way towards the center of the clearing. Dropping onto his hands in a prone position, he began to do push ups, counting them loudly as he went.

"What the hell is he doing?" Zuko asked as he approached the group, taking his position to Ty Lee's right, Aang likewise sitting between Katara and Toph.

"I don't know," Katara answered in frustration, rubbing a knot form her forehead as she watched her brother try and prove some kind of point.

"He just shot up like a cannon when Toph said that Katara and Suki get exicted when they see you shirtless," Ty Lee added, Toph howling with laughter as she felt Aang react similarly to Sokka, Zuko's heartbeat not escaping unharmed either. Another round of accusing stares, and then Aang shot up from his seat, taking position next to Sokka, counting off push ups as he went.

"It's not that big a deal… is it?" he asked, turning his gaze to the brunette at his side. Ty Lee shrugged a bit, before the pair looked at the girls present. Katara and Suki made a conscious effort not to look at the young man, Toph still howling with laughter at the entire spectacle.

"I guess I better wear a shirt, from now on," Zuko sighed, wondering how long until the fish was done cooking.

* * *

**That has to be weird, having Katara and Suki ogling Zuko, leaving Aang and Sokka utterly uncomfortable. Surely they would just use that as a driving force to start their own rigorous training, to try and sculpt themselves :P Might come into play a little later, or just Toph having fun with the group. For those of you unsure, the purely italicized part is a flashback, with single apostrophes around the dialogue. More Zuko x Ty Lee next time, as the group has an uncomfortable meal around the campfire, then a night under the stars. Can they keep their hands off each other? Read and find out next time. Until then, loyal readers.**


	19. Chapter 19: Pranks and Campfire Stories

**Chapter 19: Pranks and Campfire Stories**

**Rating: K+**

**For Memorial Day, I present you all with some more Zuko and Ty Lee. This one has a moment of angst, but is generally just fun. Zuko gets another idea, which is much more subdued than his other one. More details on that as the story unfolds. Two more chapters to go in this story, which I will really try and get done over the next two days. This one seems a bit muddled to me, since I took a few long breaks in the middle of writing it, so thoughts on that are appreciated. That said, enjoy the goodness.

* * *

**

The large fire crackling in the background, the gang sat around in a circle, all except Sokka and Aang. The two still sat some distance away, counting off push ups with determined looks on their faces.

"How long do you think they can keep it up?" Ty Lee asked idly, watching the strained up and down movements of the two boys. Pulling her legs up towards her chest, she set her back against Zuko's side, comforted by his warm closeness.

"Who knows. Seems like they're being kind of silly, if you ask me," Toph said, despite the amused smile on her face. She knew she was partially to blame, and wondered for a moment of the two would be able to use their arms after doing so many push ups.

"No kidding. I mean, don't they realize that there's more to it than just having a good body?" Katara added, surprised a bit that Aang would resort to such a thing to impress his girl.

"Well, Sokka's always been really competitive, but I am surprised that Aang would go for it," Suki responded, genuine surprise in her voice as she rested her chin on her palm, watching the spectacle along with the other three girls.

"Zuko, how did you end up with such good conditioning, anyway?" Katara asked curiously. Getting no response, she turned towards the young man. A smile graced her lips as she looked to Suki. Suki joined in watching the young Fire Lord, smiling in return at the odd sight. The night of not getting any sleep had apparently caught up with him, and he had fallen asleep in a relaxed, hunched over sitting position, Ty Lee supporting him from his left side.

"Guess he must be tired," Suki mused, watching his oddly peaceful expression. In the time she had known Zuko, he had never looked so comfortable, so at peace. Especially when he was awake. During the war, he had always been so serious, and she remembered wondering if he ever slept comfortably, as he always seemed on edge.

"Looks like it. He needs to look out for himself, too," Katara said wistfully, remembering the way he had selflessly thrown himself in front of Azula's final attack, risking his life to protect hers. Seemed that was a quality one needed to possess to be in the company of the Avatar.

Finally, Sokka and Aang dropped to the ground, groans of pain echoing from both as they lay face down in the dirt. Each whined about soreness in their arms, before arduously pulling themselves into a sitting position. Sokka seemed to recover nearly instantaneously, the scent of cooking fish wafting by him as the huge fish continued to roast over the large fire.

"Mmm, that smells great," he said hungrily, prodding the logs a bit to ensure a well burning flame. The motion seemed to trigger the soreness in his arms, and a yelp of pain echoed through the clearing as he languidly made his way towards the group of girls and Zuko.

"Oww, my arms feel like they're about to fall off," Aang said in some frustration as he took a seat next to Katara, Toph sitting to his left.

"No kidding. What idiot invented push ups anyway?" Sokka complained, taking a seat between Zuko and Suki, groaning as he sat down. The two girls looked to one another before rolling their eyes, amused yet frustrated grins on their faces.

"You are the two geniuses who decided to just drop and start doing push ups. Serve you right, being jealous of Zuko like that," Katara scolded the pair, whose eyes rested on the sleeping Fire Bender. Sokka then turned his attention to Aang, a mischievous grin on his face. Reaching into his green bag, he pulled out a small pouch of black paint, and a small paintbrush.

"What the heck are you doing, Sokka?" his sister asked with some hesitation, watching as he swirled the brush in the paint, coating the soft beige fluff with black. His grin widened as he thrust the instrument towards the face of the sleeping fire bender.

Aang felt himself grin as well as the brush slowly approached the helpless young man, curious as to what Sokka might be attempting to draw. But just as Sokka was about to make contact, he lost use of his right arm, the appendage falling limply to his side. The brush landed with an unceremonious small clack, the bristles making a small black smudge on the ground.

"Geez, that's not nice, Sokka. Zuko's really tired, so it's not fair to mess with him when he's sleeping," Ty Lee scolded the young man, the most serious look she could manage etched on her face as she stared at him. Sokka pulled back a bit, not enjoying the feeling of his arm hanging uselessly to the side.

"Aww, you're no fun, Ty Lee. It was just some paint," Sokka excused, trying desperately to get his arm to move in even some small way. Toph laughed at the frustration she could feel from the older boy, Katara and Suki with matching looks of 'serves you right' coolly set on their faces.

"Hey, that's not fair," the girl said, picking up the discarded paintbrush as she gently moved from her place to Zuko's side, looking at the black tip of the brush. "So, I suppose you wouldn't mind if someone were to paint your face?" the brunette said in challenge, smirking as she caught the look of dread on Sokka's face.

"Come on, it was just a joke. You wouldn't really try and paint my face would you?" the boy said, slowly attempting to back away from the younger girl. A bright smile graced her lips as she moved forward, Sokka's fatigue from doing so many push ups catching up with him.

"Fair is fair, right?" she said, extending the brush towards the dark skinned boy. A girlish scream sounded in the clearing as she lunged playfully forward, the dark stained brush making contact with the older boy's cheek. His arms giving out behind him, the boy fell onto his back, Ty Lee perching herself carelessly on his stomach as she ran the brush over his face.

Katara, Suki and Aang looked to one another in frustration at the scene, eyes rolling once again from the girls as Aang laughed innocently at the display. White frills fell upon Sokka's stomach, the girl giggling excitedly as the boy's face became even darker with the stain of black paint.

"Agh, get off me, woman," Sokka said in frustration, one arm useless through chi blocking while the other was simply too sore to move. Once the brush was producing no new strokes, the girl stared down at her handiwork, hearts and stars dotting the boy's face as he looked helplessly towards the sky.

"Uh, guys?" Toph said hesitantly, feeling an uncomfortable heartbeat from the position where Ty Lee had been sitting. Getting no attention, she spoke a bit louder. "Umm, guys?" she said more insistently. Gradually the laughs and amused giggling stopped, replaced with a look of surprise and fear.

"What's going on?" Zuko said coolly, almost coldly, so much more like the old Zuko than new. Having been the first to notice that the young Fire Lord had woken up, Toph had backed up a bit, fearing a possible outburst from the powerful bender. Katara, Suki and Aang stayed in place, out of either fear for their own safety, or worry over Sokka and Ty Lee's.

A few owlish blinks of surprise from the two involved, and they looked to the spot that would probably be giving the Fire Lord a hard time. Ty Lee sat, still perched on his stomach, white frills falling about his waist with her legs similarly lazily placed around his waist. A scuff of dirt echoed painfully through the clearing as Zuko pulled himself to his feet, his mind a mass of mixed emotions.

Making his way towards the large fire, he stoked it a bit, no sound escaping his lips as he checked on the condition of his catch. Satisfied with the results, he turned his gaze to the collective group, looks of concern on each of their faces.

"It'll probably be done in a few more minutes. Just make sure not to overcook it," he said, the pain in his voice cracking the hearts of all present. Head dipped down, the young man turned towards the forest, slipping between the trees into the looming darkness. Silence again filled the small clearing, Ty Lee's heart about to burst at the sight.

A loud crack of broken wood snapped loudly in the clearing, but none present reacted to the loud sound. Five sets of eyes watched the spot where Zuko had disappeared to, wondering what was running through his mind at that instant.

"That was pretty scary," Katara said somberly after a moment, a light shiver running through her at the image of Zuko's pained expression, the cold tone to his voice as he spoke.

"Yeah. I was half expecting him to just start yelling and tossing fireballs at Sokka, but that was something different," Suki added, reaching for her bag. "I guess I'll get dressed, since it's starting to get dark," she said, Katara and Toph slowly standing to follow the girl.

"You think Zuko's going to be alright?" Aang said, wondering if there was something he could say to encourage the boy. He knew that it was only a misunderstanding, and that things would definitely work out, but he also knew that love made people act in rather strange ways.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," Sokka said, somewhat unconvincingly. The young Water tribesman put himself in Zuko's position, wondering how he would react if he saw Suki just sitting on some other guy's waist, giggling like she was having the time of her life.

Placing his hand on the brunette's shoulder, he nodded his head towards where Zuko had gone, signaling that she should go find him. He knew she would want to apologize, to set things right, even if things would probably calm down on their own.

"Sorry, Sokka. Hope you get that paint off your face," she said sweetly, before bounding off into the forest. Sokka smacked himself on the forehead, before making his way quickly towards the small river.

Making her way through the thick branches of the trees, the young brunette cursed herself for making such a mistake. She should really learn to be a bit more discrete, and not as prone to random outbursts of energy.

As she made her way through the forest, she idly wondered what she would do if she were to see Zuko in such a situation, being pinned to the ground by some other girl. The thought made her stomach flip a bit inside, and she knew it was not something she wanted to see, or hear about.

The girl had no idea where he had gone, simply dashing quickly through the thick mess of trees. Darkness began to creep quickly through the woods, giving it a distinctly creepy vibe about it. Holding her hands near her chest, the girl stopped as she heard a loud sound in the distance, like a roar of an angry beast. That was more like the Zuko she knew, yelling at anything and everything around.

A slightly hesitant smile on her face, Ty Lee made her way towards the source of the noise, her feet unwillingly stopping her as she came into view of another small clearing, just above a small ledge. The cool mountain air blew carelessly through the trees, reminding her that she was still wearing only her clean white bathing suit. Her feet hurt from running barefoot through the forest, and she wished she had taken the time to put on her shoes at least.

But all thoughts of her discomfort vanished as she watched the forlorn look on the face of the young Fire Lord. His golden eyes barely visible from her spot, she moved behind a nearby tree, hoping that Zuko had not sensed her presence. Taking a few calming breaths, she hesitantly peered from behind her hiding space, watching as he turned towards the cliff's edge.

Smoky grey eyes widened in surprise as she felt the worst case scenario run through her head, his covered feet taking a few lazy steps towards the edge. Feeling a moment of panic, the girl sprung from her spot, quickly dashing into the small clearing.

"No! You can't do it Zuko!" she yelled, tackling the older boy to the ground. A small bit of dust kicked up as they landed roughly on the ground, Ty Lee's small frame covering Zuko's body as she wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"Oww. Ty Lee, what the hell was that for?" he asked in annoyance and anger, uncomfortable with a headache throbbing in the back of his head where it had landed against the ground.

"I'm stopping you from making a big mistake," she said earnestly, looking up his body into his honey colored eyes, her bangs hanging loosely in front of her own face. His brows raised in confusion as he looked at her, his hands grasping her shoulders as he pushed her off him, allowing him to pull into a sitting position.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Suicide is never the answer, Zuko," she said innocently, trying to cheer the young man up. Zuko simply blinked as he looked down at the girl, a chuckle nipping at his lips before he burst out into a full blown laugh.

"Wait, you thought I was going to, what, throw myself off the cliff in despair or something?" he said, summing up the girl's thought accurately with his one statement.

"You mean, you weren't?" she asked, feeling embarrassed for making such an assumption, with no real evidence. "What's so funny?" she shot, cheeks tightening as she frowned at the older boy.

"Oh. Sorry, it's just that you're so sweet, worrying about me like that," he said, standing again as he headed towards the cliff once again. Taking a seat on the ledge, he patted the ground next to him, motioning for her to join him. With some hesitance, the girl did as instructed, plopping down to the boy's right, his scar hidden as she looked at him.

"It makes me feel better, knowing that you'd miss me if I were gone," he admitted, gazing out at the clear sky. No clouds wafted past, leaving an unobstructed view of the slightly smaller moon, the days having a slight effect on the size and shape of the pale orb.

"So, you're not going to act like a tragic hero, and kill yourself, right?" she asked, looking at his face earnestly as she awaited a response.

"No, nothing like that," he said softly, his legs dangling idly over the edge of the cliff.

"Then what did you come out here for? You seemed pretty upset," she said hesitantly, not wanting to bring the situation back up if it was not needed. Zuko seemed to think for a moment, his eyes reflecting the pale light of the moon.

"I was upset, but I didn't want to make a big scene. I knew I would be able to cool off if I just got it off my chest, so I just came out here so it wouldn't upset the others," he said evenly, huffing a bit as he got his breath back.

"I'm so sorry, Zuko. Sokka was going to paint your face all black with ink, so I stopped him, but then I decided to pay him back and-" she stopped, blinking as he placed a finger against her soft lips.

"I figured it was something like that. I know you. You're not the type to just flirt while you're with someone, right?" he said assuredly, smiling as he pulled his finger from her lips, watching her blink a bit in surprise.

"That's right, Zuko," she said, leaning her head gently on his shoulder, the pair gazing out at the rising moon. "But I'm still sorry. I should be more careful in the future," she apologized once more, Zuko thinking once again before speaking.

"Don't worry. You wouldn't be my Ty Lee if you weren't clumsy and energetic," he joked, smirking as she ground her finger against his arm.

"Geez, you big meanie. Not nice to insult people when they honestly apologize,"

"You're right. I'm sorry, Ty Lee," he responded, kissing her forehead as she turned her eyes up towards him again. "You think we should be getting back? I hope the others aren't too worried," he said, dusting himself off as he pulled into a standing position. Noticing the small cuts on the girl's feet as she stood next to him, Zuko got an idea.

Crouching down a bit, he swept the girl off her feet, a light yelp of surprise escaping her lips as she became airborne for a moment, chocolate braid dangling helplessly behind her as he adjusted her in his arms.

"I hope they didn't let the fish burn. It would be a shame if it went to waste," he said seriously, taking a few steps towards the direction he had come from seemingly only moments earlier.

"Z-Zuko, I can walk, you know?" she responded, her left arm hooking idly around his neck as his hands held her thighs firmly in his grasp.

"I know. But I don't want you to get your feet any more messed up. You'd think you would at least remember to put on shoes when you're going through a forest," he said, innocently prodding the girl for her occasional bouts of ditziness.

"Not everyone can be as well prepared as you, Zuko," she responded, her right hand clasping the left around his neck. Her body seemed nearly to melt into his, enjoying his warmth against her body even through his black and red shirt. As he walked, she felt his heart beat speed up slightly, the added weight of carrying the girl having a light impact on his body.

The moonlight made the woods more visible, and she marveled to herself how easily he was able to navigate through the tangle of branches and leaves. She had a feeling that if she had not found Zuko, she may well have ended up lost in the woods, a thought that caused her to subconsciously clutch the older boy more tightly.

"Ty Lee?" he said gently, sensing the increase in closeness.

"Nothing. It's just weird that you're so good at finding your way around. Is that something you learned when you were traveling in the Earth Kingdom?" she asked, wondering if it were a skill she could learn herself.

"I guess so. Uncle always seemed to know where he was going, so I just paid a bit of attention, and I guess some of it just rubbed off," he admitted, smiling as he remembered how eventful life was as a refugee.

"Iroh should be a teacher, or something. He's got all kinds of useful wisdom, and it's almost unfair that he only spoils you with it," Ty Lee joked, a mirthful chuckle escaping his lips in response.

"That would never work. All he likes to do it make tea and play pai shou. I don't think he could handle being a teacher, but he's always willing to give advice to people enjoying his tea," Zuko said warmly, wondering idly what Iroh would say about his upcoming plan.

"Sounds like Iroh," the girl replied in her usual bubbly tone, leaning up and kissing the older teen in response.

"Yeah. He's definitely… quirky,"

"Hey, Zuko?" Ty Lee asked, a thought coming to mind as they made their way steadily through the mass of trees.

"What is it?"

"Could you teach me how to fight?" she asked innocently, her face drawn in a serious expression. Zuko blinked a bit in surprise as he looked at her, stopping between a pair of tall trees.

"What do you mean? You're a great fighter already, Ty Lee," he said, wondering what would give her doubts about her skills, and what would make her think that he could possibly help someone as talented as herself.

"Well, you said it yourself the other day. If someone blocks my chi attacks, I don't really have the power to push through and cause damage, right?" Ty Lee explained, Zuko nodding as he vaguely recalled having said something like that.

"Yeah, I guess I did. But why would you want help from me?" he asked seriously, picking up his pace once again as he thought the prospect over.

"Fire bending is all about power, short explosive bursts and stuff like that, right?" she said, Zuko nodding again in affirmation. Figuring out where she was going, he smiled at the idea.

"I guess it's not such a weird idea. You already have an advantage in defense, with your natural athletic ability and flexibility," Zuko said, chuckling at the thought of Ty Lee as a fire bender.

"Right. So, if I had the solid attack skills, I would be invincible," she said somewhat sarcastically, flexing her arms in a Sokka-like gesture to emphasize the point. The pair shared an amused laugh, Zuko thinking that that wouldn't be far from the truth.

"Alright, I guess it's worth a try," he answered, a happy gasp emanating from the girl in his arms.

"Really, Zuko?" she asked enthusiastically, watching as he simply nodded in response.

"Yeah. But I'll warn you, I won't take it easy on you for any reason," he cautioned, the girl seemingly either not hearing him or not caring. Hugging him tightly, the girl kissed his cheek brightly, excited at the prospect of learning something new.

"Of course. I look forward to learning from you, Sifu Zuko," she said somewhat teasingly, drawing a smile from the older boy. Before long, the pair were pulling into the clearing where the rest of the group was sitting, Sokka stuffing his face with fish as one might have expected.

"Zuko! You're… happy?" Aang said, confused by the seemingly odd turn of mood for the fire bender.

"Sorry to worry you guys. I just needed to cool off a little bit," he admitted, setting Ty Lee down gently on her unrolled sleeping bag. "Katara, do you think you could look at her feet? She forgot to put on her shoes when she came running after me," Zuko said calmly, Katara nodding in response.

"You really feeling better?" Suki asked as Zuko headed over towards where Sokka and Suki were sitting, her eyes aglow with concern, catching the light from the flickering fire that had been set in the center of the group.

"Yeah, sorry for freaking you guys out like that. Sokka, could I talk to you for a second?" he said with a straight face, the dark skinned boy nearly choking on his food at the tone of Zuko's voice.

"Umm… ck… alright… chk… Zuko…" he said between gasps and chokes, setting his large serving of fish down on his blanket as he followed Zuko over towards the small river.

Aang, Toph, Katara and Suki watched the pair make their way over towards the river, tense gulps from each as Zuko leaned in close to the young boy. Their eyes widened in anxiety as they could see the color drain from the younger boy's face, Toph smiling wickedly as she felt the erratic heartbeats of the Water tribesman.

A gentle, friendly pat on the shoulder, and Zuko turned back towards the group, a sigh of near relief escaping his lips as he made his way towards the small campfire. Looking to the others in the group, his stomach began to growl hungrily, each person in the group staring blankly at him.

"Man, I'm hungry. How did the fish turn out?" he asked, smiling carelessly as he looked from one person to another. Slowly they broke out of their surprise, Katara fetching Zuko a serving of the well done fish, before producing a second for Ty Lee.

"Wow, it smells great," Ty Lee said happily, inhaling the smell of barbecued fish meat as a plate was placed in her outstretched hands.

"Yeah. It looks good too," Zuko added, digging his chopsticks into the sumptuous meat. As the two began their meal, Aang, Katara and Suki looked to one another in abject shock, diverting their gazes towards the young water tribesman as he wobbled over towards them.

"Geez, what happened to you, Sokka?" Suki asked concernedly, watching as he did not immediately go back to eating his helping of fish. The boy's eyes looked so much different than usual, and they each knew that something had happened. Casting his gaze over towards the young fire bender, he gulped on the lump in his throat, catching a look of warning from the older teen.

"Oh, it's nothing, really," Sokka excused, trying to laugh it off.

'_What did Zuko say to him?'_ each thought at once, looking to Zuko in concern and puzzlement. Whatever he had said, had scared Sokka good.

"Wow, this fish is really good. You managed to land a good one, Zuko," Ty Lee chirped happily, a smile exchanged between the two as their portions of fish dwindled gradually. Finally, the pair finished their helping, giving thanks to whoever had cut and served the hefty meat.

"Ah, you're, uh, welcome?" Katara said hesitantly, unsure if Zuko's seeming mood change was some indicator of trauma or something. Seemingly catching the concerned tone, Zuko smiled at the young water bender as warmly as he could.

"I'm fine, Katara. I knew it was just a misunderstanding, but I wanted to cool off a bit on my own. Besides, I figured that Ty Lee wouldn't leave it alone anyway," he said jokingly, earning a light tap on the arm in response.

"You say it like you know me so well, Zuko," she mused, trying to sound frustrated at his confident speech.

"Well, as long as you say it's fine, it's fine," Katara said, shrugging as she let the matter drop. Toph gagged a bit in exaggeration at the lovey dovey display of the two, wishing she was entirely blind to the spectacle.

"Alright, give it a rest you two," the blind earth bender said gruffly, crossing her arms as she popped up a wall between the two in emphasis.

"Ok, ok," he said in defeat, smirking as he watched the girl lower the wall between himself and Ty Lee. The glints of moonlight brought memories of the small clearing, and an idea came to him. "Oh, Suki, can I ask you something?" Zuko said earnestly, looking intently at the auburn haired girl.

"W-what is it, Zuko?" she asked, flustered by the sudden attention.

"I found a little spot out in the forest, near a really nice little cliff. Do you know anything about it?" he asked, leaning slightly towards the girl as he spoke. Suki placed a finger to her chin as she thought, wondering which ledge he might be talking about.

"Oh, I think I know what you mean. Why do you ask?"

"I was just thinking, it would make a nice spot for a little house. Nothing too major, but just a little spot for some relaxation. Obviously, there would need to be a road cleared towards it, but is it stable ground?" he asked, the girl surprised by the question.

"Well, I think so. You want to, like, live here?" she asked honestly, watching his eyes flashing as he seemed to think it over. Looking back towards Ty Lee, the boy smiled, nodding in affirmation.

"If you'll let me. That's part of why I thought up this crazy plan," he admitted, drawing everyone's attention back to him.

"So, your plan is to change the whole world, so you can give up your post as Fire Lord just to live peacefully in the middle of nowhere?" Katara asked seriously, wondering again if Zuko had hit his head on a rock or something.

"Something like that," he admitted, lying back on his opened sleeping bag. "All that stuff I said was true, but the initial inspiration was basically that," he said, folding his hands behind his head as he looked up at the stars.

"Sounds crazy if you ask me," Sokka said, getting over his nerves at what Zuko had told him. "But, I can respect that," he admitted admiringly, figuring that such a grand gesture would only be possible for someone like the Fire Lord.

"Thanks, Sokka," Zuko said.

"So, anyone want to tell any ghost stories around the campfire?" Sokka suggested menacingly, the others perking up at the prospect.

"Sounds like fun to me," Aang said, somewhat nervous about the idea of ghost stories.

"Sure, but nothing too out there," Katara added, leaning in close to the fire.

"I bet you couldn't come up with anything scary, snoozes," Toph challenged, scooting closer to the group as the chill of night came over the camp.

"I don't think anything could scare you," Zuko joked, a curl of the lips from the younger girl seemingly affirming the notion.

As the group huddled closer together, Sokka took the lead, thinking for a moment before launching into a strange, disjointed, overblown type of story. The moments of "fear" were very few, instead changing to a story of heroism and action, more fit for a play than campfire storytelling.

Once Sokka got his desire for storytelling out of his system, Aang took a turn, making use of his unique knowledge of the spiritual realm to give a more realistic feel. Occasionally, he was able to bring genuine chills to the skin of the others around, girls clutching carefully at their lovers for comfort. But through that, Toph remained stoic, laughing at the silly, overreactions of the other girls.

A short fit of laughs echoed pleasantly in the clearing, before all eyes shifted to Zuko. The young Fire Lord fidgeted a bit in his seat, not entirely comfortable with the idea of telling a story to his younger friends. Ty Lee gave him a reassuring squeeze, and Zuko smiled weakly at the girl.

Taking the most memorable parts of his own life, he spun a tale of a child living a harsh life, at the mercy of a cruel parent. The parent was a monster, living within the shape of a man. He painted a picture of sharp, venom drooling teeth. All the others were on the edge of their seats, leaning tensely towards him as he spoke. Only Ty Lee was able to tell just how much of the story was based on his own life, again clutching at his arm as he spoke.

The conclusion of his story came when the child found out about his parent's demonic identity. A sleepless night, and the child went to his parent's room for some comfort, certain that the visions that plagued him would stop. But the world ended as he slipped carelessly into the master bedroom, his senior parent turning warmly towards him.

*schlk* A sickening wet sound was all the child could hear as a razor sharp blade dug into the flesh on his neck, his eyes widened in surprise as he watched the warm, comforting face of his parent transform into a hideous, evil grin, a look of pure malice as the world went dark around the child.

As Zuko looked at the group, he noticed looks of horror, Aang and Sokka clutching to their lovers just as the girls had done a bit earlier. Color had drained from their faces, including Toph, who had scooted closer to Aang and Katara for some comfort. He did not smile at the results of his story, instead sighing deeply.

"Come on guys, it's just a story," he said as seriously as he could, hoping he had not put too much of his life into the story. "I'll see you guys in the morning," he said, gasps of surprise as he breathed, killing the fire in the pit with one gesture.

Swishing of cloth echoed on his ears as he lay on his side, not folding the sleeping bag back over his body. As the other settled in for the night, pulled together for some comfort, Zuko felt a strong twinge of sadness prick at his heart. Remembering how hurt he had been when his father had burned him, the coldness with which his sister had always treated him, and the brutal way his father behaved all flowed freely through his mind.

But just as he was feeling the effects of the harsh memories, he felt a calm pass over him, a soft, warm body curling up next to him. Feeling her back pressing up against him, Zuko gently passed his arm over her waist, pulling the girl closer to him.

"It's alright, Zuko," she said soothingly, clasping his arms tightly as she reached over for the edge of the material. "It's all over," she added, feeling his heartbeat against her back.

"I know," he said carefully, unable to fully let the memories relinquish their hold on him. "Thanks, Ty Lee," he said gratefully, smiling as he let her warm scent fill his senses. Closing his eyes, he let sleep fall on him, glad that he had Ty Lee around to calm his difficult memories.

"No problem, Zuko. I love you," she whispered sweetly, closing her eyes as well, feeling a soft kiss press against her head gently.

"I… love you too, Ty Lee," he added, smiling as he fell asleep. He was curious to see how the acrobat would react to fire bending training, with all the motions and stances, but just then, he was just glad she was so open to invading people's personal space.

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**In addition to being a bit muddled, it turned out a bit longer than I had planned. The general guide for this story is 100,000 words, which I am getting close to. Part of why I chose a weird number like 21 for the number of chapters. The next one (follow up story) will definitely be longer, probably closer to 150-200 thousand words. Next time, the gang watches as Ty Lee begins her practice with Fire bending forms, and more sweet fluff hopefully. Look forward to it, people.**


	20. Chapter 20: New Training and Jealousy

**Chapter 20: Male Jealousy**

**Rating: K**

**After a few days, here is the second to last chapter of Zuko's Vacation. Somehow I don't feel satisfied with this one, given how much time I took to write it. Actually had the ideas and stuff a few days ago, but couldn't think of the right wording to get it started. But, here it is, and for the fans to judge its quality, as is my tendency. Hope you all enjoy it, and look forward to the next one hopefully tomorrow.

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Stretching his arms above his head, Zuko watched the Sun begin its slow crawl across the wide blue sky. The warm rays of light soaked into his being, replenishing the fire within after a night's sleep. Slowly he turned his gaze downward, smiling at the face that slept right next to him. Pulling his right hand from within the girl's grasp, he brushed a few strands of chocolate hair from her face, planting a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Come on Ty Lee, wake up. Time to start your training," he whispered in her ear, the girl's body shaking as his breath brushed against the sensitive skin of her ear. Soft, smoky grey eyes fluttered open, before falling into a half closed sleepy condition.

"Oh, good morning Zuko. What was that?" she asked sleepily, trying to curl up closer to the warm young man. A light poke between her eyes got her awake, as Zuko peeled the sleeping bag back.

"Come on. You're the one who wanted to do this, so let's start before it gets too hot outside," he said, untangling his legs from hers. The brunette's strong legs had found their way around his as he slept, holding him tightly from moving. A small feeling of loss passed over the girl as Zuko stood, leaving her alone with the warmth that still remained on the inside of the covering.

"But it's so early. I mean, the Sun's barely up. Can't we just sleep in a little longer?" she asked hopefully, pulling the cover back up to her chin. Groaning in some frustration, Zuko leaned down, grasping the edge of the sleeping bag roughly.

"Up and at 'em, Ty Lee," he said, pulling the thick material from atop her body. A sigh of defeat rang from her lips, her hair a bit messy from the night's sleep. Grudgingly standing, the girl rubbed the remainder of sleep from her eyes as she followed Zuko towards the small river.

"Are we going to be getting up this early every day?" she asked, dreading the answer she suspected would be coming. Zuko seemed to think about it for a moment, considering whether she could handle it.

"Well, to start, we'll just do it once every two days, to give you a chance to get familiar with the forms and things. Then once you're used to it, we'll start doing it daily," he said, explaining the basic outline of his plan. Ty Lee breathed a sigh of relief, learning that she would not have to wake up so early every day.

"That's good, because I need my beauty rest," she said somewhat sarcastically, smiling as she struck a suggestive pose, right hand resting on her hip as she thrust her chest towards the young man.

"Funny, Sokka used to say the same thing," he teased, earning a short giggle from the younger girl.

"So, what's first, Zuko?" she asked, her eyes drifting over to the glinting light reflecting from the surface of the river. Occasional splashes were heard, small fish leaping above the surface before plunging back into the crystal blue depths.

"A little warming up to start," he said, beginning a set of basic warm ups. Stretching out his arms, then legs, finally rolling his back a little at the waist, Ty Lee following along with her own sets of stretches.

"Alright, what next?" she asked, as they each finished their initial warm ups. Zuko looked seriously at the young girl, wondering if she would be able to handle the next part, as it was something he himself had always found difficult in the past.

"Well, I am sure you at least know that the basis of fire bending is in the breath, right?" he asked, the girl nodding seriously as she caught him watching her. "Because of that, I think it would be useful to be in control of your own breathing," he responded the girl's face showing her uneasiness with the concept.

"What do you mean, Zuko?"

"For fire benders, losing control of the breathing could mess up our bending. Similarly, I think that having better breath control could give you better overall control of your body," he continued, his arms crossing casually against his chest as he spoke.

"You really think so?"

"I do. I mean, you have great control of your body already, so I can't say for sure, but it should work," he said, a bit uncertain at the prospect.

"So, how do I do that?" she asked, curious as to what she would be doing to begin her training under Zuko.

"Meditating," he said straightly, watching the girl's energetic face slip a bit. "I had a feeling you might not be super excited about it, but it is the basis of the form, so it's kind of important," he said, the girl solemnly nodding in acceptance.

"But how do you meditate?"

"I think for starters, you find a comfortable position. But not too comfortable, since the goal is to meditate, not fall asleep," he said, the girl snickering a bit at the image of Zuko falling asleep during meditation that passed through her head.

"Alright," she said brightly, taking a seat next to the flowing river. Zuko did likewise, sitting across from the girl. "What next?" she asked, finding an adequately comfortable position, her legs crossed beneath her body as she looked at her older friend.

"Next you close your eyes, and try and listen to your breathing," he began, mirroring the girl as she closed her eyes. "The goal is to match up your breathing with your energy flow, gathering it as you inhale and releasing as you exhale," he continued, wondering if his simple explanation would be useful for a non bender.

"Alright," she said, trying to drown out the sounds around her. The task proved difficult, as she was usually so preoccupied with her surroundings. Her mind was a mess of thoughts, each tangling with the one before and the one after. "It's too hard, I can't drown out all the sounds," she said in frustration, her brows knitting together as she tried to focus.

"It shouldn't be that hard, Ty Lee. How about this, just think of something that makes you the most at east, what makes you the happiest," he said evenly, his golden eyes opening as he watched the girl's tense body. He knew that meditating would be hard for the bubbly, energetic girl, but that she could get it if she tried.

Taking his advice, Ty Lee tried to put her mind to focusing on something that made her feel calm, at peace, happy. A smile graced her lips as she caught onto something, or rather to someone. Zuko. His rough, sometimes raspy voice, the comforting warmth that she could feel from him, his occasionally clumsy way of acting. It all helped endure him to the young girl.

As she focused her thoughts on the Fire Lord, her friend and lover, the sounds around began to disappear, until all that she could hear was the soft intake and exhalations of breath. The rise and fall of her chest, the soft rush of blood through her body.

"I got it!" she said excitedly, her eyes flashing open for a second as she lost control of herself.

"That's good, Ty Lee. Now focus, and see if you can feel the energy flowing with each breath," Zuko said, smiling as he watched the girl. Again her eyes closed, her body rooted in position across from him. "You got it?" he asked, the girl nodding in acknowledgement of his question. "Feel the energy flowing through your body, like water," he said, watching as the light breeze fluttered her bangs about her face.

Ty Lee could feel the warmth throughout her body, like a warm current of water passing through her. Each time she brought a breath into her body, the energy swelled a bit, dissipating as she exhaled.

"We're going to do this for a little while, I want you to focus, drown out everything as you feel your breath," Zuko said, the girl fidgeting a bit in her seat as he spoke. Closing his own eyes, he heard the others beginning to stir awake. Soft rustling of sleeping bags grated softly on his ears. Yawns and groans of tiredness echoed through the clearing, and he wondered if they had experienced nightmares at his story the night before.

"Hmm. Zuko? What are you doing?" Katara asked, catching sight of the young Fire Lord, sitting cross legged in front of the bouncy acrobat. The silence that existed between them had become something unusual, no playful laughs or physical contact from one to the other. Aang pulled himself from his sleeping position, standing next to Katara, watching the scene as well.

"Oh. He's teaching her fire bending," he said half sleepily, the information not clicking in his head immediately. After a moment, the information registered, and his eyes shot open. "Wait, he's teaching her fire bending?" he asked, his foggy gray eyes shooting open in surprise.

"I don't know. Maybe they're just asleep or something," Katara said somewhat nervously, not comfortable with the prospect of having another fire bender around to deal with.

"No, that looks like meditation to me. Believe me, we did enough of it while he was teaching me to recognize it. The whole 'controlling the breath the control the flame' sort of thing. It was so boring," Aang complained, glad he was not the one being forced to meditate and breathe.

"So, why do you think he's teaching Ty Lee?" the dark skinned girl asked, watching the subtle inhalations of breath from each Fire Nation teen.

"I don't know. Maybe she's actually a fire bender and we never knew about it?" Aang said innocently, rubbing his hand against his bald head. Katara gave one last look at the scene before heading a bit down stream, feeling a need for some basic cleanliness after the night of slumber.

"Maybe it has nothing to do with fire bending," Suki said, taking a position a short distance behind Aang, drawing his attention to her as they watched Ty Lee and Zuko meditating. "Fire bending is all about bursts of strength, right?" she asked, Aang nodding in affirmation.

"Yeah. Fire bending focuses on attack, short bursts of non stop attack, sacrificing defense to take out the opponent as quickly as possible," Aang explained briefly, wondering what the auburn haired girl was getting at.

"Well, Ty Lee's attacks have always been quick, precise, and a bit soft. Maybe she just wants to learn something to add another edge to her offense, give her the power she's lacked," Suki suggested, running her slender fingers through her auburn locks as she watched the pair meditating.

"Oh. I hadn't thought of that. I guess it's possible, since fire bending does seem to lend itself the best to non bending offense," Aang admitted, surprised that he had not thought of such a possibility.

As the pair continued to meditate, the others in the group began their days, Toph being the last to wake up, only a short time after Sokka. Cleaning up, preparing breakfast, and preparing to head back to the village filled the morning. As they worked, each person gave odd looks to the Fire Nation teens as they meditated, the spectacle becoming almost impulsive watching for the rest of the group.

After a seeming eternity, their eyes opened, and Ty Lee immediately leapt to her feet, stretching her legs and back after the long time spent sitting. She looked at Zuko as he slowly did the same, lightly stretching his legs to get the blood flowing once more.

"So, did it go well?" Sokka asked, having been filled in on the gist of what they were doing. Zuko looked to the bubbly brunette who nodded enthusiastically, before looking back to her "teacher" of all things fire bending.

"What next, Zuko?" she asked excitedly, bouncing back and forth on her feet as she looked him over. The sun had made steady progress over the daytime sky, the indicator that a few hours had seemingly passed.

"Now I'm going to show you a few simple forms, and we'll call it a day for now," he said carefully, breathing in deeply as the girl nodded in acceptance. The gang gathered together, watching the sight unfold as Zuko took position in front of Ty Lee once more, eyes closed as he steadied his breathing.

"Fire bending forms are all about explosive power, letting extreme amounts of energy out at once," he said, thrusting his right hand towards her in demonstration. The blow was quick, and fierce, his arm tightened as he extended it outward. "It is also about successive strikes, not relenting on your opponent for any reason," he said, thrusting his left in a similar fashion to the right.

The quick blows were impressive, and Ty Lee wondered how it could generate so much more strength than her own strikes. Looking at her fists, she noticed how small they looked in comparison to Zuko's, wondering if there would be any ultimate use of this at the end. Zuko seemed to notice her momentary apprehension, dropping his hands to his waist as he steadied his breathing.

"Ty Lee, I bet it'll all work out. But you have to know that this won't be easy or quick. It takes lots of practice. It's about strength, and focus. For now, this is just to build some muscle memory, so you can get used to the different style, then we'll get into the more intricate moves," he said, placing his hand reassuringly on the girl's shoulder.

"You really think I can do it, Zuko?" she asked, wondering if her movements would ever be as precise and direct as Azula's.

"I bet it won't take that long at all. Why don't you give it a try?" he asked, taking a few steps behind the girl before she turned towards him. "Try and hit me," he said, figuring that a challenge would work on the girl.

"What?" she asked, surprised by his suggestion.

"Well, the easiest way to get a hang of it is to practice, so we'll just do a little sparring. Nothing too intense, just trying the basic form," he said, straightening his body as he watched her.

"But, we haven't even learned any forms, Zuko. It's totally unfair," she complained, thinking that Zuko was just looking for an excuse to beat her again.

"It'll be alright. Like I said, you can pick this up easily. Just remember, no holding back, put as much effort as you can into each strike, and try to make each one a killing blow," he said, soft murmurs of surprise from the others assembled around.

"But what if I hit you?" she asked, worried about his safety. He simply chuckled, bringing a breath deeply as he gazed at her.

"Fine, if you won't come at me, then I'll come at you," he said, sliding his feet forward as he threw a strong right punch towards the girl's head. The suddenness took her by surprise, and she barely managed to evade the blow by turning to the left.

"Zuko, what are you doing? That would have hurt," she said, leaping to the right to avoid his left blow. His arms continued to piston forward, in strong, straight motions. There was little deviation, and he simply lunged forward, his arms tense the entire time.

"Just make sure you're taking notes," he said jokingly, Ty Lee's eyes widening as a blow headed straight for her stomach. Pushing off of her feet, she jumped back a short distance, her arms pushing his punch down out of the way.

"You're not going to learn anything if you just avoid it," Zuko said, pulling back from the young girl. His arms held out defensively before him, he watched Ty Lee blink at him a bit in surprise. "You saw me do it, now you give it a try," he murmured softly, motioning her forward with his hands.

Figuring she had gotten the general idea, she tightened her fists, throwing a quick, strong right towards Zuko's stomach. Being the more experienced fighter, Zuko gave a quick motion of his hands, deflecting her blow before sending another at her.

"It can be used in defense, and then into offense, if you get it right," he said, holding his fist right in front of her stomach to illustrate his point. "Now, try again," he said, pulling the extended arm back towards him.

"Alright," she said, nodding as she prepared another attack. Taking a moment, she focused on her breathing, feeling the energy pass through her body. As she exhaled, the lunged forward, her feet sliding across the gravelly dirt as her left arm extended towards Zuko's face. He blocked it again, barely getting his arm back up as her left arm extended towards him.

His lips curled into an amused smile, as he deflected the second attack, his words coming true as she seemed to be getting the hang of it. The blows he had deflected were heavier than the ones from their spar a few days earlier, and he counted himself lucky that she had not yet figured out how to make use of the elaborate spins and kicks. But it was only a matter of time.

Continuing the basic sparring, the two exchanged blows, Ty Lee's usual energetic pace coming in handy as she was already accustomed to quick strikes. But exerting so much energy in any given blow proved to be a strain, and after a little over half an hour her arms ceased to respond as quickly, and Zuko put an end to the spar.

"That's good for one day. Like I said, you need to get used to it, especially exerting so much more energy at once than you're used to. It won't do any good to force things when your body can't handle it," he said simply, watching the girl wince as he placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Oww. That hurts, Zuko. How do you deal with your arms being so sore?" she asked, rubbing her arms carefully as he pulled away.

"You just have to get used to it. But you did great for your first time. I imagine it won't be long before you've got it all mastered, and we can start on the more advanced forms," he said, the girl smiling as she nodded towards him.

"Wow, that was some impressive arts," Sokka said, not enjoying the prospect of ever having to deal with a more skilled Ty Lee. The girl bowed in gratitude towards the young boy before bounding towards the group.

As she approached Sokka, the dark skinned boy backed away quickly, earning a look of surprise from the others as he fell off of his small log. Dusting himself off, he looked towards Zuko, shivering a bit as he apologized for his clumsiness. As Zuko made his way towards the group as well, each person looked to him in confusion, wondering what was going on between him and Sokka.

"W-well, I guess I'll start packing everything up," Sokka said, his skin lightening in tone as he turned away from the fire bender.

"What's wrong with Sokka?" Ty Lee asked, her head cocked to the side as she looked to the others in the group.

"I don't know. Why not ask Zuko there?" Katara asked, nervous to hear what could have frightened Sokka so much that he would actually be nervous around anyone, especially Zuko.

"Zuko? What is going on?" Ty Lee asked, doing as Katara had instructed. The Fire Lord simply shrugged, smiling slyly as he gazed at the young girl.

"Oh, it was nothing. I just told him that if he ever wanted to have children, he would leave Ty Lee alone," he said, chuckling as he remembered the white look on Sokka's face at the threat.

"You threatened him? But the thing yesterday was just an accident," Suki said, feeling surprised that Zuko could still do something so cold.

"Well, it was mostly a joke. I can't be blamed if I always sound so serious. I would never do something like that. That's more Azula's style," Zuko said, plopping down atop his sleeping bag as he watched the others.

"I suppose that's true," Katara said, figuring that Azula would actually simply kill the person who crossed her, but his point was well taken.

"So, you guys have anything else planned for today?" Ty Lee asked happily, dropping herself carelessly in Zuko's lap, wriggling playfully in her seat, despite whatever discomfort Zuko might be feeling.

"Not really," Aang said, turning embarrassedly away from the two lovebirds. "We were mostly just going to head back to the village in a little while, then relax until we all head off," he continued, trying to calm himself down at the spectacle unfolding.

"Hmm, relaxing does sound nice. My arms hurt like heck," the girl chirped, rubbing her sore muscles in demonstration. But her body tensed up as Zuko leaned in a bit, whispering something barely audible in her right ear. The girl turned towards him, blushing at his nearly wolf like grin.

"Zuko, I should ask you one last time, are you sure about all this? Once it's in motion, there's going to be no stopping it. Are you sure you can handle it?" Katara asked, looking into Zuko's bright golden eyes. He looked from her to the girl in his lap, smiling as he looked back to Katara.

"I can't imagine any other plan, right now," he responded, nodding in assurance to the others present.

"Whatever. As long as I get a chance to ruffle some upper class feathers, I'm happy," Toph said excitedly, a bit too into the prospect of getting rough with the elites of the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom.

"Yeah, at least you get an easy job. All you have to do is "persuade" the guys to go along with it, and nobody would be dumb enough to go against Toph Bei Fong," Katara said sarcastically, not enjoying the prospect of what she had to do.

"Come on, Katara. It shouldn't be that hard. You're pretty famous in the Water Tribes, and the word of the Avatar should go a long way," Aang suggested, taking the dark skinned girl's hand in his own. Her piercing blue eyes gazed into his steel grays, feeling a smile cross her face.

"That's true," she admitted.

"I think she's just upset because she doesn't get to have any real fun, like I do," Toph said sarcastically, a Cheshire grin on her face at the idea.

"Not everyone has a desire to hurt people and cause trouble, Toph," Katara responded defensively, not wanting to admit that the idea did indeed appeal to her on some level. She figured it was mostly the tactile pleasure of it, being hands on instead of dealing solely with negotiations.

"Jealous," Toph said definitively, Katara rubbing her temples as she remembered the blind girl's ability to detect when others are lying.

"You wish…" Katara responded, turning her gaze towards the ground.

"Oh, Zuko!" Aang interrupted suddenly, drawing curious gazes from those present. "Do you think you could teach me something?" Aang asked excitedly, Zuko's brow raising in confusion at the question.

"What could I teach you? I mean, you're the Avatar. You're the only master of energy bending. If anything, I should be asking you to teach me," Zuko said, letting his arms hook loosely around Ty Lee's narrow waist.

"Well, you could teach me how to use those awesome green flames," Aang said, Zuko's face drawing in realization.

"I don't know, Aang. I'm not quite sure how it works, myself. But, once I figure it out, I'd be happy to teach you," he responded assuringly, the younger boy nodding in slight disappointment.

"Alright, Zuko," he said, bowing in respect to the young Fire Lord.

"Well, I think I'll go wash up a bit before we head back," Ty Lee said, heading downriver a bit for some privacy. Bouncing from Zuko's lap, she bounded quickly away, her perky body bouncing a bit as she walked.

"Oh, Suki, could you come with me for a minute?" Zuko asked, offering the girl his hand as he dusted himself off. The emerald eyed girl looked curiously at the once Fire prince, wondering what he had on his mind.

"I guess so," she answered hesitantly, grasping the hand offered to her. After muttering a word of thanks, Zuko headed off towards the woods, Suki hesitantly following a short distance behind.

"Hmm? Where's Suki?" Sokka asked, making his way back to the group, his bundled up sleeping bag hanging beneath his arm before being tossed to the side.

"Zuko said he wanted her to go somewhere with him, and they went into the woods a minute ago," Aang answered honestly, Sokka's jaw nearly hitting the ground with his surprise at the revelation.

"WHAT!?!?" Sokka shouted, his voice ringing in Aang and Toph's ears, hands clasped to the now pained sensory organs.

"Yeah. I don't think it's anything serious. Probably just needs her opinion on something," Toph added, clicking her tongue as she slowly felt the pain die down in her ears. "So you shouldn't worry…" her statement landed on deaf ears as the water tribesman hastily sped into the jungle, leaving surprised, annoyed looks on the faces of the others.

"Idiot…" Katara mumbled, heading towards the river to gather a bit of fresh water for her pouch.

"NO kidding," Toph said, lying prone on the large piece of earth she had raised up to sit on.

"Hmm? Where's Zuko?" Ty Lee asked in her usual bubbly tone as she appeared from her light cleaning.

"He took Suki somewhere in the forest. I'm sure they'll be back pretty soon," Aang said, watching Ty Lee's smile fade a bit.

"Oh, okay," she said, a slight twinge of pain in her chest as she imagined Zuko and Suki off together alone. Figuring she should give Zuko the benefit of the doubt, she sat on the open sleeping bag, letting the warm rays of the sun wash over her smooth skin.

As Sokka sped mindlessly through the forest, mind burning with what punishments he would mete out to Zuko, he listened to any sign of his love, Suki. After wandering for a few minutes, he heard a the voice he had been seeking, her soft, steady tone echoing loudly in his ears.

Speeding off in the direction the voice had come from, he noticed a small break in between the trees, opening up into a small clearing. Coming up close, he leaned against a nearby tree, trying to figure out what was being said.

"I think it's really sweet, Zuko," Suki said, a happy, dreamy tone to her voice as she gazed out at the horizon. Zuko sat a distance in front of her, also enjoying the wide open scenery as the sky opened out further than any person could see.

"Do you think it's possible?" he asked, his eyes on the younger girl as she straightened out her blue pants, taking a seat next to the older teen. She kept her gaze out at the sky, the bright blue expanse so captivating.

"I'm not sure. It's asking a lot, for sure."

"I know. But I just think it's too good to pass up," Zuko said wistfully, his eyes narrowing a little as he gazed lazily in the direction of the burning sphere in the sky. Sokka was not sure what they were talking about exactly, but he felt himself growing more agitated by the second. The mood between the two of them was entirely too pleasant, and he found that he did not like it.

"That's true. But we should take it slow. There's plenty of time for making decisions like this, Zuko," Suki said, a smile tugging at her ruby lips. Zuko turned to the girl slowly, nodding in agreement.

"I guess you're right. Thanks, Suki," he said, sighing heavily as he watched the land beneath him. Far off into the horizon, the crisp blue of the sea met the lighter hues of the sky, a combination of blues calming him deeply.

"What the hell is going on here?" Sokka asked incredulously, popping suddenly from his perch behind the tree. A look of intense anger seared itself on his face, as he made a snap judgement on the situation.

"Sokka. What are you doing here?" Zuko asked, slowly pulling himself to his feet before offering Suki his hand likewise. The contact between them set Sokka off further, and he rushed between the two, pushing Suki behind his back as he stared daggers at the current Fire Lord.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?" he asked senselessly, male emotion taking control of his mind as he shot accusing glances from Zuko to Suki. The two in question looked to one another in curiosity, before their eyes widened in realization of what Sokka was implying.

"Wait, you think that we're-" Zuko started, sputtering a bit before the words could cross his lips.

"-what, having an affair or something?" Suki asked, feeling somewhat angry at the accusation. Sokka's body exuded his pure jealous anger, and he felt as though he would simply take the Fire Lord's life.

"So, just Ty Lee's not good enough for you, you have to try and take my girl?" Sokka accused the older boy, Zuko sighing in frustration.

"Look, it's not like that. I just needed her opinion on something," Zuko tried to explain, looking to Suki for some help in the matter.

"That's right, Sokka. That's all it is. He figured I knew the area better than anyone, and I could give him some advice," she said, Sokka seemingly not hearing the explanation.

"Then what's "really sweet"?" He asked, making accusatory air quotes to accompany his imitation girly voice.

"You were spying on us?" Suki said indignantly, feeling her own anger beginning to boil at Sokka's apparent lack of trust in her.

"It's not spying unless there's something to see," Sokka reasoned, turning to his girlfriend, ready to completely explode.

"Guys, you need to calm down," Zuko said, making his way between the two lovers, pushing each apart as firmly as he could manage without throwing either off balance. "Sokka, it's not like that at all," he said, hoping the younger boy would listen.

"Then why did you have to drag her out here all by yourselves?" Sokka asked, seething as his fists clenched at his side.

"I didn't mean for that to happen. I just had the idea, and asked her to come with me," as Zuko finished, Sokka lost his cool, slugging the older boy squarely in the jaw. Zuko went squarely to the ground, a loud thock sounding through the small clearing.

"Sokka! What the hell is wrong with you?" Suki shouted, supporting Zuko as she crouched down behind him.

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**Wooo, Sokka's gone overboard. Jealousy can be very ugly. Not going to be a super serious situation, just a little drama before the conclusion. More to give me a place to pick up next time than anything else :P Next time, as it is the final chapter, it will be almost 100% Zuko x Ty Lee happiness. Just have to get some of that out. Look forward to the finale, loyal readers.**

**On an unrelated note, for those of you who have not, you should check out Clear and Present Danger. The ending where Jack Ryan tells off the President is one of my favorite movie moments ever. Awesome stuff.  
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	21. Chapter 21: Soapy Bubbles

**Chapter 21: Soapy Bubbles**

**Rating: T**

**Alright, I decided this would not be the last chapter, but more information on that at the end. This one picks up where the last chapter left off, and ends with some happy, happy stuff at the end. Hope the content agrees with all the readers. That said, enjoy the Ty Lee x Zuko sweetness.

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"It's alright, Suki," Zuko said, waving the girl's concerns off. Staring up at the young man in front of him, the young Fire Lord pushed his burning desire to get up and incinerate the water tribesman down. Through his mind flashed he scene of how he had acted at the party so many months earlier, how coldly Mai had acted upon seeing his jealousy.

Taking a deep, clearing breath, the young fire bender let the anger wash away, understanding where Sokka was coming from. Pulling himself into a standing position, the young man wobbled a bit, the blow to his jaw proving quite strong. As he rubbed the now aching bone, he smirked a bit at the young man in front of him.

"Look, Sokka. Like I was trying to tell you, it wasn't like that," he began, watching as the darker skinned boy seemed to ignore or not hear what was being said. "Last night, when I stormed off," here Sokka relented a bit, recalling the events of the night before, "I came upon this spot."

"What about it?" Sokka asked somewhat defensively, cooling off with the icy stare he was getting from his girlfriend.

"I found it to be a relaxing spot, and I wondered what it would be like to have a house here," he explained evenly, turning his gaze out to the large expanse of sea before him. The faint traces of the salty air mixed with the crisp air coming down from the mountains, creating a unique atmosphere.

"A… house?" Sokka asked, his anger ebbing as the thought ran through his mind. Zuko and Suki each nodded, attempting to reassure the young man. "Then, why did you need to talk to Suki?"

"He figured I knew the area the best, so he wanted a quick thought on whether the ground was stable here," Suki explained, her own eyes calming a bit as Sokka cooled off.

"She told me as long as it wasn't right next to the cliff's edge, it should be alright," Zuko finished, dusting off his pants as he turned back towards the forest. "I wanted a place to live after everything calms down, and this spot just sort of spoke to me. But, if my presence will make things uncomfortable, I guess I can just think of something else," he said, a hint of sadness in his voice as he slipped beyond the edge of the trees.

At the tone of Zuko's voice, Sokka looked sullenly down to the ground, the foolishness of his actions bringing a burning sensation to his face. He had a hard time accepting that he had acted like such a jealous jerk.

"I really messed up, didn't I?" he asked, slowly pulling his gaze towards the auburn haired girl he had grown to love. His blue eyes shone with his apology as he watched her head towards the forest as well. She stopped just at the edge, turning towards the young man with a look of hurt and anger flashing in her emerald eyes.

"Yeah, you did," she said simply, turning away from him as she headed back to the camp. She wasn't sure which fact was worse, that Sokka had lashed out at Zuko, or that he had so little trust in her.

Sokka remained in place, torn between rushing back to camp and apologizing for being stupid, and simply standing still, letting the moment wash over him. Casting a deep gaze out to the deep blue sky, he watched a patch of clouds slowly make their way over the vast expanse, their fluffy whiteness bringing a smile to his face. Figuring that nothing would come of just staying away, he headed back towards camp, hoping he wouldn't get too lost.

After a few minutes of walking, Zuko made his way into the clearing that served as their temporary camp, idly rubbing the sore spot where Sokka had punched him. As he entered the clearing, a couple of gasps reached his ears, and he winced as he realized they would be wondering what happened to his jaw.

"Zuko, what happened?" Ty Lee asked first, worry, confusion and relief in her voice as she looked him over. Pushing her hand away, he tried to think of something to say, something that would stop the questions.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just tripped on a root, and hit the trunk of a tree. Those things can be pretty dangerous," he lied, watching as Katara replaced Ty Lee in front of him.

"Well, it doesn't look too serious. You might have a bruise, but nothing too bad," she said, not entirely believing his story but figuring she knew what happened.

"Wow Sparky, you're even clumsier than Snoozles," Toph joked, not buying the story either, but not wanting to pass up a chance to make fun of the Fire Lord. Zuko groaned inwardly at his poor excuse, wondering why he couldn't come up with a better liar. Azula was always the best at it, and he wished he had even half her skill at bluffing.

"Come on Suki, I'm really sorry," Sokka's pitiful voice echoed into the clearing as he and Suki entered, Suki looking angry with Sokka trailing a short distance behind. His hands were clasped together as he pleaded for forgiveness, something that brought a smile to the faces of the others in the group.

"What did you do this time, Sokka?" Katara asked, her 'I know you did something wrong, so you better fess up' tone of voice in full effect. The pair blinked as though not realizing they had entered the clearing, and Suki's eyes widened as she realized it.

"It wasn't anything major," Sokka lied, averting his gaze from his seemingly all knowing sister. Everyone could tell it had to be something major, given the urgency of his apologies to the young girl.

"Come on, Snoozles, fess up. What did you do this time, bonehead?" Toph cracked, smirking as she felt his tension increase under the questioning.

"He was just acting like a jerk," Suki explained simply, huffing a bit as she hurriedly made her way towards the opposite end of the clearing, where Zuko and Ty Lee were sitting peacefully. Taking position on the opposite side of Zuko from Ty Lee, Suki crossed her arms over her chest, indicating her frustration fully with the young warrior.

"Suki, I said it was nothing, so you should forgive him," Zuko said, leaning forward to whisper in her ear. The girl blinked a few times, not wanting to just let him get a way with what he had done. Just then, an idea came to her, a flash of mischief in her eyes that put Zuko on edge a bit.

"Aww, Zuko, that looks really bad," she said in her girliest voice, placing her hands carefully on Zuko's chin, turning his head fully towards her as though inspecting some damage on his face.

"Suki, what are you doing?" Zuko asked nervously, catching the looks of surprise on the faces of the others assembled. Sokka's previously angry expression returned, and Zuko wondered if he should be on he lookout for a second blow to his jaw.

"Don't worry," Suki began, whispering carefully into his good ear. "I just want to give Sokka a little something to think about. He can't just be allowed to act like he owns me or anything, can I?" she asked, somewhat playfully. Zuko gulped on the lump in his throat, casting Ty Lee a sidelong glance, hoping she had heard at least some part of it.

"I-it's nothing major," Zuko began, trying not to sound as embarrassed as he felt. He was keenly aware of the Kyoshi Warrior's oddly soft, warm hands on his face, and the closeness was something he wasn't at all comfortable with.

"What's going on, you two?" Katara asked, a tone that nearly matched Sokka's indignant tone of voice. Zuko and Suki looked to the young water bender, then to her brother, Suki with a knowing look on her face as she held the water tribe warrior in place.

"Oh, I guess Zuko didn't tell you. Me and him were talking, and Sokka overheard us, blowing the whole thing out of proportion," the girl began, smiling in warning as she noticed Sokka's angry face fall, replaced with one of dread.

"He did? Then what?" Katara asked, shifting her stern expression to her brother.

"When Zuko tried to explain what we were talking about, Sokka just lost it and slugged him right in the jaw," she said, feigning horror at the memory of the scene. Here Katara shot Sokka an icy glare, not unlike the one she had offered Zuko on his first day with the group. Aang looked surprised at Sokka's outburst, and Toph simply laughed loudly at the shaking of fear she felt from the young man.

"Oh my gosh, Zuko. Why didn't you say anything?" Ty Lee asked nervously, clutching the young man's left arm tightly against her warm body.

"Well, like I said, it wasn't a big deal," he said, hoping that would be the end of the topic. No such luck for Fire Lord Zuko.

"We can't just have Sokka going around punching people because he gets jealous, though Zuko," Katara warned, the other girls seemingly agreeing with the sentiment. Ty Lee smiled a bit as she recalled a similar situation that Zuko had been in, and realized that he knew where Sokka was coming from.

"I'm sure it was just an overreaction. He just needs to calm down a little," Zuko explained, letting his own memory give him a starting point. "It happens to everyone at some point," he said, watching as Katara, Aang and Suki each averted their gazes, giving the distinct impression that they as well had been prone to fits of jealousy.

"Zuko, you're the greatest," Sokka said in affection for the older boy, rushing forward and capturing the Fire Lord in a bear hug. Zuko blushed in utter embarrassment, trying to push the younger teen away.

"That's great, Sokka. But you can let go of me, now," he said, finally extricating himself from the excited younger teen.

"Well, it seems that Sparky's charms work on everyone," Toph joked, feeling the affection in the air. Sokka and Zuko looked one another in the eyes before mutually backing away, uncomfortable with the way Toph had phrased it.

"Seeing as how Zuko is alright with it, I guess I can forgive you," Suki said, faking as though she were reluctant about it. But as Sokka rushed forward to wrap his arms around the girl, she placed a finger of warning on his chest. "But you better watch yourself, because I might not be as forgiving next time," she cautioned, earning a chill from Zuko and Sokka at her icy tone.

"No worries about that, babe," Sokka said, trying his best to hide the fear he felt at her promise of pain if he acted so jealously again in the future. Satisfied that he had learned his lesson, Suki smiled warmly, planting a kiss on him with her ruby red lips.

"Somehow I doubt that," Toph said, smirking as she felt his still tense vibrations.

"So what was so important that you needed to talk to Suki alone, Zuko?" Aang asked, Ty Lee seemingly imitating the expression of curiosity at the question as well. Zuko groaned audibly once more, not wanting to explain it to everyone, but finding little alternative.

"It wasn't necessarily that I had to talk to Suki alone. I just figured it would be alright to just inconvenience her, since I figured she would know best about the area," Zuko explained, Suki nodding as he did so.

"But, what about?" Katara asked, taking a seat across from Zuko, next to her boyfriend.

"A place to build a house," he said simply, smiles of curiosity and happiness on the faces of the others in the group. "Like I said, onc this whole thing is over, I am planning to just live a normal, relaxing life, and I figured it would be nice to have a little place set up," he continued, finding himself smiling at the idea.

"Sounds like you've thought it out," Aang said, smiling himself as he pictured a life settling down with Katara, raising a family.

"Just a little. I found a nice spot, and I wanted to get Suki's opinion on whether it would work," Zuko said, entwining his fingers with Ty Lee's feeling the girl lean against his shoulder as he explained what happened.

"So, why did Sokka get so jealous?" Toph asked, not comfortable with the happy atmosphere that had passed over the group.

"Oh, that was because Zuko explained his reasons for the idea," Suki said, teasing the fire bender a bit as she spoke. "He told me he wanted a little place he and Ty Lee could live in together, which I found so romantic," she said, matching the warm smiles on the faces of Katara and Ty Lee. Sokka's eyes widened in surprise, before a dark red passed over his tanned skin, not realizing just how out of place his actions had been.

"Aww, that's so sweet, Zuko," Katara said happily, Toph huffing as she dropped onto her back, staring aimlessly up towards the sky.

"It is, isn't it?" Suki added, finding great joy in Zuko's seeming embarrassment over the matter.

"That's just Zuko," Ty Lee chirped happily, planting a soft kiss on the boy's scarred cheek, smiling happily as she watched him fidget a bit in place.

"Ugh, it's nothing major, geez," he huffed, unable to hide the smile on his face at the bubbly brunette's affection.

"Oh, so modest. You're just a big sweetheart, Zuko," Ty Lee teased, smiling as she leaned in closer to the young man, feeling the heat begin to rise from his body. The only sound he became capable of making was a low growling sound, his frustration boiling over at being the center of so much attention.

"Well, as fun as it is watching Zuko get embarrassed, we should be heading back," Sokka said, smirking wide as he watched Zuko fidget beneath Ty Lee's cooing and playful touches.

"Sounds good to me," Katara said, turning away from the lovey dovey spectacle being put on by the impossibly chipper young girl.

"You said it," Toph added, disappearing the slab of earth she had been sitting on, hurriedly making her way towards the end of the clearing to gather her things.

"It's a shame, but I guess we do need some actual relaxation," Suki said, casting Zuko a knowing smile as she moved from the small log.

"I think we better go, or they're just gonna leave," Zuko said, extricating himself quickly from Ty Lee's excitable grasp. As he made his way over towards the pack he had brought, he nearly stumbled at the increase in weight on his back.

"I agree, Zuko. Let's go," she chirped, her slender arms snaking around to the front of his neck, her legs wrapped carelessly around his waist as she sat perched on his back. The young man sighed in defeat, slipping his hands beneath her thighs as he shifted her weight a bit.

"Geez, can't you walk on your own?" he asked sarcastically, painfully aware of the soft mounds of flesh pressing against his back. He was both grateful and agonized by the fact that she was still in her pure white bikini, having not bothered to change into proper attire for sleeping or training.

"No, I hurt my foot chasing after a certain someone," she said as sternly as she could manage, feeling the low growl within his body as it rumbled against her softly. "Besides, it's not like I'm really heavy," she said, Zuko smirking as her words entered his mind.

"I don't know. I almost fell over just now from someone's weight," he joked, nearly chuckling at the indignant gasp that emanated from her soft pink lips.

"You're a meanie, Zuko. You should never make fun of a girl's weight, you know? That's the worst thing you can say," she said, watching with her smoky grey eyes as he turned slightly towards her.

"Then maybe we just need to do something to help keep you in shape," he suggested vaguely, his implication bringing a light blush to the girl's smooth cheeks. As he turned his head towards the front again, the girl buried her face into his broad back, smiling as his messy hair brushed against her lightly.

"That… doesn't sound too bad," she admitted, the pair sharing a laugh as he leaned down, taking their packs in hand before joining the rest of the group. Everyone seemed to have an aura of happiness about them, Sokka's fishing trip seemingly having accomplished its mission.

"So, do you think you would want to come with us when we visit the Fire Nation?" Zuko asked Toph as they entered the small town, Ty Lee still perched happily in his back. The girl's body felt almost torturous as she pressed against his back, his arms occupied carrying both their packs.

"To the Fire Nation? What, you're afraid of facing Mai alone?" Toph teased, not hating the idea of accompanying the Fire Lord and his current 'mistress' to face his girlfriend.

"Well, something like that," Zuko admitted, each person present shivering a bit as they imagined what kind of fight Zuko might be involved in once he presented his decision to the young lady.

"Surprised you would admit that so straight out. Usually a guy would try and lie about being scared of his girlfriend," the blind bender jabbed, honestly surprised by his admission.

"Mai can be pretty scary, and I'm not sure I would be able to protect myself the way you would be able to. Fire bending is not defensive at all, so that's out of he question," he explained, Toph nodding as his points made sense.

"Alright, I'll do it, but you'll owe be even bigger for this," she said, Zuko nodding carefully as he turned towards Ty Lee's home.

"Thanks a bunch, Toph. I'll find some way to make it up to you," he said, the blind earth bender waving off his words of gratitude.

"Yeah, yeah. We can't just have the Fire Lord getting killed off by his angry soon to be ex girlfriend, right? So, it's my job as a respected citizen of this world to keep your sorry butt safe," she said in her sarcastic voice, smiling as she felt his body tense a bit at the insult.

"All the same, thanks, Toph," he said honestly, his even, deep voice bringing a light blush to the girl's cheeks. Turning her head downward, she let her long black bangs fall around her face, hiding the blush from the gazes of the others.

"Well, we'll be heading off to do a little relaxing. See you guys tomorrow for a little breakfast?" Katara asked hopefully, enjoying the prospect of another day with the group. As Sokka, Suki and Toph gave their affirmation, Zuko put on an even smile as he looked to the group.

"Sorry, but I'm going to be, uh, busy tomorrow," he replied vaguely, feeling Ty Lee press herself further against him. "So, see you guys in two days," he said, bowing as he headed off towards his shared home, leaving the others surprised.

"Do you think…" Sokka asked, Suki nodding weakly in response.

"… they are? I hope they aren't too tired for their trip," the girl added, finding her own face a little flushed at the realization of what Zuko had said.

"I don't get it. What is he going to be so busy with?" Aang asked a bit cluelessly, Katara, Suki and Sokka clearing their throats in an attempt to avoid having to explain it to the innocent young boy.

"He means he and bubbles are going to be fucking like rabbits tomorrow," Toph responded brusquely, her pinkie digging in her ear as she nonchalantly explained the situation to the last remaining air bender.

"Toph! You don't have to say it like that!" Katara shouted, mortified by the direct language the younger girl had chosen.

"Hey, you guys weren't going to say anything, so I had to do it," Toph replied, flicking a spot of earwax from her finger as she "stared" down the water tribe healer.

"W-well…" Katara said hesitantly, knowing she had lost whatever leverage she had over Toph in the little argument.

"That's what I thought. So, when are you guys going to give Twinkle Toes here the 'talk'?" the girl asked, quoting the word talk as she "looked" from one person to the other. Suki and Katara looked to one another, then both looked to Sokka. The young boy pointed towards himself, his eyes widening in surprise as the girls nodded in affirmation of his realization.

"Ugh. Fine. Aang, come here a minute," Sokka said, throwing his arm around the shoulder of his younger friend, hoping he could get away with a simple explanation of the facts of life.

"And no skimping on the details. I don't want you giving him any weird ideas," Katara shouted after the pair as they disappeared into a nearby shop, Sokka waving the girl's warning off.

"Maybe you should have done it instead, Katara," Suki said, smiling nervously at the prospect of Sokka trying to explain something as important as sex to anyone.

"Probably. But what's the worst that could happen?" she asked, looking nervously over at the other girl. Suki replied with the same nervous grin, causing Katara to panic more. "Good point. Sokka!" she shouted, heading towards where Sokka had taken Aang, figuring she should give the explanation after all.

"At least two people get away from this whole thing," Suki said, sighing as she and Toph headed off towards where the others were gathering.

"Yeah, but they don't get to enjoy this hilariousness," Toph joked, anxious to hear what kind of argument was no doubt going to erupt between the water tribe siblings.

"I am a little curious, how are you so familiar with it?" Suki asked the younger girl, who stopped, casting a blind glance up at the older teen.

"Vibrations, you know? And just because I'm blind doesn't mean my ears don't work," she said sarcastically, rubbing her ears to illustrate her point. Suki nodded in understanding, casting one last glance to Ty Lee's house before entering the small shop.

"Hope they don't overdo it," she said softly, a smile gracing her lips as she let the door fall closed behind her.

"Okay, you can get off now, Ty Lee," Zuko gruffed, letting the door close behind him as he slipped into the small home. Shrugging off the packs he was carrying, the young man idly rolled his shoulders, trying to get out the mild stiffness that had set in by carrying the load with the girl on his shoulders.

"You know you liked it, Zuko," she sung happily, slowly removing herself from her perch on his back, being sure to rub her feminine charms teasingly against his back as she did so, catching a subtle shiver as it passed through him.

"Tease," he jabbed, smiling as he cast a sideways glance to the peppy brunette. Ty Lee smiled, bounding over to the soft green sofa, watching as he made his way deeper into the house.

"You make it too easy, Zuko. You're too honest," she admitted, watching the soft roll of his shoulders, wonder how stiff they really were. "Want me to give you a massage?" she asked helpfully, watching his body perk up a bit at the idea.

"Maybe later. For now, I just need to get cleaned up. Didn't get a chance today, so I'll go in first," he said, padding slowly through the living room, his feet echoing roughly against the cool wooden floor.

As he disappeared into the bathroom, Ty Lee took note of the fact that he had carelessly left the door ajar a bit, the sound of splashing water echoing playfully in her ears as she came up with a fun idea.

As Zuko watched the water move around in the large basin, he felt the heat from the life giving fluid, steam beginning to rise in the cool room. Running his hands through the water, he felt it was an adequate temperature, and so began to disrobe, letting his shirt and pants fall carelessly on the floor near the door.

Once the water was at a satisfactory level, the young man shut off the valve, ceasing the flow of hot water into the basin. A sigh of contentment passed through his lips as he slipped into the hot water, the heat relaxing the tension that had crept into his muscles. Dipping his fingers into the water as he leaned back, he casually ran them around in small circles, watching the ripples on the calm water's surface.

This represented the first time he had truly been alone since he had made his grand suggestion, and as he looked up to the deep brown of the ceiling, the weight of it hit him once again. If it all worked out, he could live peacefully, free to do what he truly wanted instead of worrying about responsibility and destiny and all the other factors that had controlled his life to that point.

But if it didn't, then the world could end up in a more precarious situation than it was already in. If the people thought that Fire Lord Zuko was just trying to abandon them, and live his own life of peace and tranquility, it could get ugly, even lead to a full scale revolt. The nobles would have to be "convinced" to go along with it, for which he was thankful that he would have Toph's support.

She definitely had a way with people that he could never manage. Rough, but not necessarily to the point of being dangerous. Sure, she could be a bit too rough, but she got her point across. Once you got past her cute exterior, anyone would have a hard time going against whatever Toph had to say.

It was all so heavy, and he wondered if he would have the skill at negotiating to see it through to its ultimate end. It was a huge gamble, involving all his friends and the people of the entire world. But as he pictured its inspiration, he smiled, feeling a rush of confidence. He could do it. He had to do it, if he was going to keep hold of the happiness he had obtained.

As if on cue, the bubbly brunette burst through the bathroom door, her body completely exposed to his gaze as she hopped eagerly into the tub with him. Squirts of water splashed around, good flows of it landing on the floor outside the tub. The girl smiled brightly as she planted a soft kiss to Zuko's lips, before pulling back.

"Ty Lee? What the hell are you doing?" he asked, the girl ignoring his angry outburst.

"Oh, come on, Zuko. It'll be fun to take a bath together," she said seductively, rubbing herself against his lap as though to further entice the young man.

"Oh really?" he asked in challenge, reaching beneath the rippling water's surface, grasping the girl's hips as she rubbed against him. Leaning forward, he pressed a deep kiss to her soft pink lips, her lips parting to provide access for his tongue.

Soft moans escaped her lips as their tongues pressed against one another, her grinding growing more insistent with each passing moment. Moans turned to gasps as they joined completely, pleasure rocking completely through her body.

Bath water splashed carelessly about, falling in puddles on the bathroom's treated wooden floor. Two bodies pressed together, the water providing a level of slipperiness as they slid against one another. The young acrobat had her arms clasped around the older boy's neck, her body moving in time with his thrusts.

Moans filled the room, her energy all focused on the one task at hand. She panted heavily, his lips nibbling gently on her neck. Both bodies tensed as he pushed up into her with one final thrust, erupting deeply inside her. As they settled down, the girl leaned wearily against his chest, her ample bust still pressing seductively against his body.

"I told you it would be fun," she said happily as she regained he composure, looking into his slightly hazy golden eyes. Brushing the wet bangs from her face, he pressed a firm kiss to her sweet lips, feeling her push her lips back against his.

"Yeah, it was. But I'm not sure how clean either of us got," he joked, earning a light giggle from the younger girl.

"Well, there's still some water left, so there's still a chance to get clean," she supplied, splashing the older boy playfully, watching the water cascade down his face. Reaching beneath the surface, he gathered a handful of the clear liquid, tossing it playfully in her own face.

"True. So, you want to give me a little break, I could get cleaned up. Or would you like to give me a hand?" he asked, running his hands gently over her supple curves.

"I could wash your back for you," she chirped, smiling as she stood from the tub, water dripping from her body as she did so.

"That would be a big help," he said, turning away from the young girl. He listened as she lathered the soap, before placing the small bar to the side. His eyes widened in surprise as he felt a familiar pressure on his back, causing him to look behind him. Ty Lee giggled as she noticed his surprised look.

"See? This helps a lot, don't you think?" she said, her arms reaching around his body as her breasts rubbed against his back, lather transferring from the large mounds to his back as she 'washed' his body.

"I guess so," he admitted, letting the girl finish her task. The rush of water over his body soothed him, feeling the slippery bubbles of soap washing down his back. The rush of water was then moved up his body, soaking his messy hair with the lightly soapy, warm water. Strong fingers ran through his hair, lathering the shampoo on his head.

"Your hair is really nice, Zuko. Must be because you're the Fire Lord, so you keep good care of yourself," Ty Lee sung, watching as the white foam increased on his head. Odd strands of black burst through the thick white lather, like the spots on a dalmation. Content that she had soaped him up enough, she took a large handful of water, dropping it evenly over his head.

"Thanks, Ty Lee," he said in appreciation, feeling the water do its job on the shampoo in his hair. As the shampoo slipped into the water around him, he ran his fingers through his hair, remarking how nice it truly did feel.

"Now my turn," the girl said in excitement, the swish of water sounding pleasantly in his ears as he felt the girl turn her back towards him. Smiling wide, he turns around, running his fingers teasingly over her soft, smooth skin.

"I wonder if you even need it," he joked, complimenting the softness of her skin. Trailing his fingers up her spine, he chuckled a bit at the soft shivers that racked her body.

"Geez, stop teasing me, Zuko," she said, her voice a mess of desire at his gesture. Slowly, the young Fire Lord pressed soft kisses along her skin, trailing up towards her neck. Pulling himself back, Zuko gathered the bar of soap in his hand, lathering it in his hands as water trailed aimlessly down her back.

"Sorry, Ty Lee," he said, setting the bar down as he set his hands against the soft skin on her back. Slowly he rubbed her back, firmly yet gently at the same time, soothing any aches she might have felt in her body. "But your skin is really beautiful, Ty Lee," he remarked, feeling her body heat up just a bit at his compliment.

"Thanks, Zuko," she murmured, cooing gently as he poured the water down her back, cleaning the soapy lather from her skin. Mimicking her earlier gesture, he undid the trademark braid of her chocolate locks, watching the damp hair fan out messily against her skin. Gathering more water, he soaked the silky hair, running his fingers through them to separate the strands.

Once he had lathered her hair carefully, he washed the shampoo out, leaving her soft hair completely soaked, dripping slowly down her body.

"All done. Now we just have to relax," he said, extricating himself from within the large tub. The girl nodded pleasantly as she followed suit, grasping his arms with her own.

"Sure thing, Zuko," she said happily, smiling as Zuko grabbed for a towel. Things were going to be busy very soon, but until then, they still had a whole day for just the two of them. They both thought it would be worthwhile to make the most of it.

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**Alright, as I said, this won't be the last chapter of this story. I couldn't think of a good place to end it and have it flow into the sequel, so there will be one, maybe two more chapters. The next one(s) would be completely fluffy and all about the sweetness. Next one will be Zuko and Ty Lee's day sequestered together, and how they would pass the time. Again, pointless fluff for that, so look forward to it. Look forward to that hopefully tomorrow, loyal readers.**


	22. Chapter 22: Bundle of Energy

**Chapter 22: Bundle of Energy**

**Rating: T**

**After a relatively long layoff, for me anyway, here is the second to last chapter of Zuko's Vacation. Didn't come out as well as I would have liked, and I was unsure of how to do the ending to this one, but I hope you all like it nonetheless. Next chapter will be the finale (we've heard that before), before I go off to other projects temporarily. Sorry for the long wait, and hope you enjoy the cute Zuko x Ty Lee moments here.

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Rubbing off the last bits of water from his messy hair, Zuko tossed the towel aside, falling face first on the large, comfortable bed. Taking a deep breath, the young Fire Lord felt his senses begin to swim, filled with the soft fruity scents that marked his new partner's perfumes and shampoos.

Soft, green silk pressed soothingly against his bare chest, as his black hair fell around his face lazily. Moving his hands slowly, he felt the smooth material, watching small ripples of it bunch up around his moving fingers. He briefly wondered how she had managed to acquire such fine material in such a remote location, but decided against thinking about it too much.

As his fingers reached the upper edge of the fine material, they traced the subtle outlines of flowers, imprinted in slightly darker shades into the sheets. Turning his head in place, he looked around the room lazily, nearly chuckling at how distinctly feminine every item was that filled the space.

His momentary spacing out was interrupted as a sudden force landed squarely on the small of his back, pushing the breath quickly from his body. Craning his neck a little more, he turned his gaze as much to his back as he could manage.

"Oh, sorry Zuko. I didn't see you there," the girl excused, smiling weakly as she moved gently to a position on his right side, rubbing his back as he gradually got his breathing back to normal.

"So you just go around jumping on beds if you think nobody is on it?" he asked somewhat accusingly, the girl smiling brightly at him, as though hoping it would temper any anger he might have felt at the gesture.

"Well, not really. I guess I was just hoping to surprise you a little bit," she answered, tensing a bit as she watched him slowly flip onto his back, his golden eyes piercing deeply into her.

"I figured it was something like that," he responded, a light smirk on his face as the raven hair fell around his face, spreading out a bit on the green fabric. Folding his hands behind his head, he looked up at the dark brown ceiling, watching a few shadows play against the flat surface.

"Zuko? What are you doing?" Ty Lee's flowery voice again rang sweetly in his ears, turning his attention back to her as she lay against his body, her head resting innocently upon his chest as her body ran perpendicular to his.

"Oh, just thinking a little," he responded, moving his left hand to the girl's head, aimlessly running his fingers through the soft brown locks. The pair both stared lazily at the ceiling, smiles on their faces as they seemingly awaited some celestial revelation of purpose, of understanding. But both knew that such a thing was not forthcoming.

Instead, each relaxed, letting the presence of the other fill them as they lay together in silence, and comfort. The young acrobat rested her folded hands atop her chest, feeling the soft, steady beating of her heart as her lungs drew in the necessary breaths. Zuko simply smiled, enjoying the moment of peace, and quiet, his fingers playing with the girl's soft hair.

The soft red material of her shirt rose and fall with each breath, almost inaudible coos of rapture passing through pink colored lips. In his time as Fire Lord, he had not been able to stop, and take a breather as he was doing now. His entire body felt revived, full of energy, as though he could take on the whole world alone if he had to.

But he knew in his heart that he would never have to. That was what made him feel the most at ease about his situation. He had friends who would accompany him through any hardship, any challenge. He would never be alone to face his destiny, as he had thought himself to be so often in the past.

"What are you so happy about, Zuko?" the girl asked, his eyes blinking as he noticed her position had changed. The girl's arms were folded against his chest, her cheek resting lazily against the makeshift cushioning as she stared up into his face.

"Oh, must have spaced out or something. I guess I'm picking up some bad habits from you," he joked, smiling as he watched her cheeks puff in a mock pouting gesture. Moving his fingers along her face, he traced the soft lines of her jaw, down to her chin and then back to just behind her ear.

"Gosh, Zuko. It's like you've never seen a pretty girl before," the girl teased gently, smiling as she felt his warm fingers caressing her face. She leaned into the touch as he brushed her bangs from her face, revealing her glowing grey eyes to him as their eyes met.

"I'm not sure I have," he said, drawing a look of slight confusion from the younger girl.

"What do you mean? You're almost surrounded by pretty girls. I mean, there's Mai, and Azula was always really pretty," the girl began, thinking about what Zuko could be getting at by claiming to not have seen a pretty girl. "Katara and Suki are both really pretty, too, and Toph will be when she gets older," as she finished her little list, Zuko chuckled a bit, intensifying the look of confusion on the young acrobat's face.

"Oh, sorry. I guess you're right about me being around a lot of pretty girls, but that's not what I meant," he explained, the girl perking up a bit as he spoke. "During the war, I was so focused on things like honor and destiny, I never noticed things like beauty or comfort even if it was around me," the boy spoke, brushing her chocolate colored hair behind her ear as she stared at him.

"That sounds really miserable," she said, sadness in her voice as she imagined someone so focused on a single goal they could not see the beauty in life. "Azula was just like that, too," she said sadly, feeling bad for her "friend", even with all the grief she had been put through at the Princess' hands.

"I guess it's a trait of being in the royal family," he added, letting his open palm land gently on the girl's cheek, his thumb tracing along her lips from the corner to the middle, smiling at the soft, velvety feel of them.

"So, what changed?" she asked, nuzzling her cheek more deeply against his chest, feeling the slightly rough skin of his burn mark against her smooth skin.

"I guess I did," he reasoned, smirking as he thought about what a different person he knew he was now, to when his exile had begun.

"You did?" the girl asked confusedly, hoping he wasn't about to go into some long-winded spiritual explanation.

"I think so. When I was banished, I was so confused, and angry, and alone. I was so focused on the thing I could never have, that I didn't allow myself to see what I had right next to me," he said sadly, the girl pulling one hand from beneath her cheek to place it gently on the young man's cheek.

"Iroh?" she said questioningly, smiling at the weak nod that she got in response.

"Yeah. He was always there, no matter what mistake I made, trying to show me that there was another way to live life, but I was always too stubborn to notice it," he said, his jaw clenching in frustration, wishing he had not been such a dope for so long.

"But you made things right, Zuko. That's all anyone can ask of you, is that you keep looking forward, and learn from your mistakes," Ty Lee said sagely, smiling to herself at her small bit of wisdom.

"Listen to you, trying to sound so smart," he joked, tweaking her ear a bit with a smile on his face, nearly chuckling as she winced in pain. "But, you're right. We can only focus on what is ahead of us, instead of looking back," he admitted, returning his hand to its position against her cheek, letting himself feel the softness and smoothness of her skin.

"So, you notice pretty girls now?" she asked, hints of teasing, curiosity and jealousy in her voice as she stared intently at the older teen. Zuko smirked lightly, holding his palm against her cheek as he spoke.

"I noticed you, didn't I?" he said, feeling the slight increase in her temperature, her cheeks flushing a light pink at his compliment. "I would have figured you would hear stuff like that all the time, so it wouldn't be a big deal to you," he teased, the girl pulling her free hand from its perch on his cheek, tucking it back beneath her head.

"Since when are you so sweet, Zuko?" she asked, oddly happy for the seemingly small compliment from the young man.

"Maybe some of Uncle's flirting just rubbed off on me," he said jokingly, the two sharing a laugh at the thought of Iroh flirting with the ladies.

"Well, there are much worse role models than Iroh, Zuko," Ty Lee reasoned, watching as Zuko's eyes lit with agreement.

"Ugh, I'm thirsty. You want anything?" Zuko asked, swiftly moving himself from beneath the young girl, her head landing somewhat roughly on the soft mattress beneath them.

"No thanks, I had something cool to drink right after our little bath," the girl said seductively, delighting as his face lit up a light shade of red at the thought. Pulling herself into a sitting position, the girl watched as he quickly exited the room, leaving the door open as he made his way into the kitchen.

Leaning her back against the headboard of the bed, Ty Lee ran her feet towards the base of the bed, running them carelessly against the smooth sheen of silk, the softness bringing a wide smile to her face. Her mind began to wander, pulling her legs beneath her in a crossed leg position, hands resting in the space of her lap that formed with the gesture.

Tilting back, her head pressed against the hard piece of wood, strands of chocolate toned hair caught between her soft body and the headboard. A warm smile flashed across her lips at the light, airy feeling she was experiencing, her head swimming to accompany the fuzzy feeling in her chest.

After a few minutes, the scent of tea wafted gently into the bedroom, her smile warming as she imagined Zuko fussing over a kettle of tea, and how proud his uncle would be at such a development. She chuckled as she heard a muffled scream, imagining it was probably him clumsily burning his fingers on the hot kettle.

A few more winces of pain echoed lightly on her ears before being followed by the soft padding of feet on cool, hard wood, and she smiled as the footsteps drew steadily closer to her room. The young man lazily held the cup to his lips, sipping on the warm liquid as he entered the room, kicking the door gently shut as he slipped inside.

She watched him wordlessly as he crawled onto the bed, smiling as he went to lay down next to her. Feeling a bit of curiosity, the girl grabbed the sides of his head, pulling gently so that his head rested comfortably in her lap, his messy hair brushing against her thighs and stomach, tickling her playfully as he settled into position.

"What's up with you?" he asked, curious as to why she was wanting his head to rest in such a position. The girl simply smiled, reaching down and mimicking the movements he had performed earlier, running her slender fingers gently through his oddly soft hair.

"Nothing. I just felt like it," she whispered in her cheery voice, the older boy leaning up, reaching out to set his cup upon the light brown dresser. A soft clang of clay against hardened wood echoed through the room, as Zuko again settled in the girl's lap, looking up idly at the cascades of brown hair that fell over her shoulders, stopping just above his face.

Reaching up, he brushed the strands back, pushing them behind her ears even as the soft bangs fell silently around her face, framing her soft features beautifully as he looked at the foggy grey eyes through the sheen of chocolate. The glimmer of excitement, and happiness shone through, accompanying the reflection of fading sunlight.

"You're as weird as ever," he said, a wry smile on his face as he closed his eyes, settling into his position resting on her lap. The warmth that he felt from her body comforted him, much the same as his native element. But the kindness of the warmth was different. So much more pure, more innocent.

"I'm not weird. It's perfectly normal for a girl to want her boyfriend to rest his head in her lap," she said defiantly, smiling to herself as the word boyfriend escaped her lips. It felt strange to her, so much different than any way she had ever described a boy before. They were always just a sort of accompaniment, almost like furniture to be used for a specific purpose.

"Is it really?" he asked, quirking a brow up as the words rolled out, smirking as the girl fidgeted slightly beneath him.

"Well, I think it is," she responded, biting her lower lip as she gazed down into his deep golden eyes, seemingly glowing like the Sun to her.

"That's you, I guess. Not that I mind," he said simply, resting his arms across his chest, silently smiling to himself at her choice of word as well. He wondered if Ty Lee had ever really had a boyfriend before, as opposed to just the gaggle of boys lusting after her gorgeous body.

"Of course you don't. I mean, aren't my legs just so nice to rest on?" she asked, her voice chirping a bit as she looked him over. Her eyes rested on the scorch mark in the center of his chest, her fingers lightly tracing the circular mark at the edges.

"Yeah, they are," he admitted, stopping her exploration as he grasped her hand with his, golden eyes disappearing from view as he closed them, his body shifting as he moved his head further up along her lap. Before long, her arms were resting over his shoulders, almost mirroring a piggy back position with her body pressed gently against the headboard.

His messy hair brushed against her bare stomach, tickling her a bit with the softness of each strand. Slender fingers joined together just below his breastbone, his own hands covering hers as a moment of content silence passed over the pair again.

Soft breathing filled the room, the last hints of daytime caressing the room, bathing it in oddly colored light. A sort of darkened light, casting long shadows around the room as the items were bathed in the last rays of light.

"Zuko?" Ty Lee asked, her mood taking a somber tone as darkness crept slowly throughout the room.

"What is it?" Zuko asked in return, watching the last traces of sunlight catch the brown strands of hair, playing off of her smooth skin as it passed into the room.

"Sorry, just checking if you were still awake," she said in her usual air headed tone, giggling at herself for being so silly.

"What would you have done if I was asleep? Wake me up?" he asked, half serious and half jokingly. The girl seemed to think for a moment, her fingers tapping gently on his chest as she thought.

"Yep," she said happily, a playful sigh of frustration emanating from the young man in her lap.

"I thought so," he admitted, smiling as he stretched his arms out, feeling a bit of stiffness at having been in one position for so long.

"Aww, you know me so well," she sang happily, clutching her arms around his head playfully, inadvertently pressing his head against her ample bust as she leaned forward. Zuko felt the soft mounds pressing against him, and he coughed as a signal for her to pay more attention to what was happening.

"I guess we both know each other," he said, getting over his embarrassment at Ty Lee's natural clinginess. Not a distracting, annoying clinginess. Just an upbeat, overly excitable need for hugs and affection. Removing himself from her tight embrace, the young Fire Lord pulled himself into a sitting position, his back still facing the younger girl.

"Zuko?" she asked a bit hesitantly, wondering again if she had done something to upset the young man. Her eyes widened as he turned towards her, grasping her shoulders and pressing her to the mattress beneath him in one swift motion. In the faint glimmer of first moonlight, she could see a confident smirk on his face as he leaned back, her body pinned firmly beneath him.

"It's getting dark, so we should get some sleep. I'm feeling pretty tired," he said, rubbing the bridge of his nose as his eyes nearly fell shut. As he tried to remove himself from atop the slender young girl, his eyes took their turn to widen in surprise as he felt her legs reach around, hooking behind his back as she reached up, her arms wrapping around his neck.

"No way. There's plenty of time for sleeping, ZuZu, but no way am I letting you get any sleep tonight," she said, her voice soaked with pure lust, the most seductive tone she could muster. The pale moonlight caught her features, displaying her mischievous, seductive smile before his gaze.

"I've created a monster," he joked, giving into the subtle pressure he was feeling from her extremities, allowing himself to be drawn closer to the younger girl. As tired as he felt, he knew this was one thing he was going to miss once his vacation was over.

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**That Ty Lee is just too energetic. She might need some sedatives so Zuko doesn't wear himself out. Next time there will be a small timeskip (one day) before the gang makes their final preparations to head out on Zuko's crazy quest. Sorry for no Mai in this story, but I will (hopefully) be able to make up for that by introducing her early in the sequel. And I am going to try and build a crack pairing out of that as well, so hopefully it goes alright. Definitely not one I am a supporter of, I just want a happy ending for everyone :P Look forward to the fluffy conclusion to the story, and many thanks to the readers.**


	23. Chapter 23: Kissing Advice

**Chapter 23 (Final): Tips on Kissing and A New Adventure**

**Rating: K+**

**This is the final chapter of Zuko's Vacation. I know, a lot of you are probably thinking 'it's about damn time' or something like that. I hear your frustration. It was a hard choice to end this, but rest assured, there will be a sequel. Already putting ideas together for it. But first thing's first, the finale. Picks up after Zuko and Ty Lee's day alone together, mostly so I could avoid writing another sex scene. Those two are just crazy for each other :P Hope you enjoy the chapter, and have enjoyed the story.

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"Ah, good morning you guys," Suki said warmly, noticing Aang, Katara and Toph doing likewise. The little earth bender seemed to be having the most difficulty getting up, a disgruntled muttering her only greeting.

"Don't mind her. She's always been bad at getting up in the morning," Katara said, stretching her arms above her head as she shook off the effects of the night's slumber.

"So I noticed. Glad I wasn't the one that had to wake her up," Suki joked, the two girls sharing a giggle at the younger kid's expense.

"Yeah, easy for you to say. I was the one who got a rock to the gut," Aang muttered painfully, clutching at his stomach at the soreness that rippled through him. "Why does she always have to be carrying stuff like that with her…" he mumbled, his head hanging a bit as he made his way towards the meeting hall.

"I hope there is something good for breakfast," Sokka said excitedly, tying his hair back as he circled his right arm around his girl's shoulder, hugging the girl even as he began to drool at the thought of the meal they would soon be enjoying.

"I don't see how you can taste anything, since you just inhale it," the auburn haired girl teased, smirking as Sokka gasped in "hurt" at her accusation.

"Hey, I have an extremely refined palette. I just don't need to let it sit on my tongue for a long time, so don't question it woman," he said straightly, a small bead of cold sweat dripping down his face at Suki's response to his 'woman' remark.

The boy's minor stint of glumness evaporated, as the scents of cooking meat and baked sweets filled his nostrils. His stomach growled loudly, a veritable waterfall falling from his lips as he broke contact with his girl, speeding off towards the building a short distance away.

"Idiot," Katara mumbled, rubbing her forehead in embarrassment for her brother. Aang and Toph each laughed loudly, before following suit, Katara and Suki a short distance behind.

As the others sat down, Sokka had already taken his place at the table, devouring everything in sight. Katara and Suki shot him looks of disapproval, which he ignored or failed to notice. Aang took a seat right across from the young man, Toph finding her way to his left while Katara took position at his right. Not wanting to get sprayed with food from the boy's mouth, Suki took a seat near the end of the table, rolling her eyes as he seemingly inhaled his food.

Once the meal truly got started, the group took the opportunity to catch up, each with a feeling that something was missing. They each spoke about what they had done with their free day, Toph grinning wide as Aang and Katara's brows knit together in frustration.

"What happened to you two?" Sokka asked through mouthfuls of food. The two looked to one another, before looking away, faces showing an intense amount of frustration. Figuring that they would not be terribly forthcoming, he and Suki looked to Toph, knowing she would not be as shy about it.

"I think they're frustrated because they wanted to get "closer", but they couldn't get the nerves to say it directly," she said, nearly bursting out into raucous laughter at the memory of them pussy-footing around the issue. "It was really funny," she added, feeling their bodies begin to heat up and grow more tense as she spoke.

"Oh. I guess that makes sense," Suki admitted, casting a look to Sokka, who looked quickly away from the girl. Toph's brow raised at the gesture, soon replaced with another mischievous grin.

"Wow, you mean you two haven't…" she began, running her finger from one to the other, her voice cracking with a loud laugh as the information processed. "I never would have guessed that Sparky would be the first one to make a move," she began, drawing the attention of four teens to her.

"What do you mean by that!?" Katara asked somewhat indignantly, her face nearly exploding with her blush and the indignity she felt at the girl's comment.

"Well, he's always really nervous around people, so I figured he would have a hard time taking that final step, especially with Miss Gloomy," she explained, holding her hand out as though presenting the information.

"She's got a point. Zuko really is really nervous around people. Remember when he first tried to join our group at the Western Air Temple?" Sokka said, trying to change the subject from his surprisingly lacking love life.

"It's just because he's so honest, and innocent at heart. It's really cute," Toph joked, wishing the older boy had been there so she could feel his seething annoyance at being called "cute" in any way.

"So what's so surprising about that?" Katara asked more directly, feeling a lighter, more innocent flush pass over her cheeks at the thought of the Fire Lord and the younger teen… together.

"Would you ever think a socially awkward kid would be able to get lucky on the best day of his life?" Toph snarked, the others mumbling a weak sort of agreement. "But if you had asked me, my money would have been on these two getting it on first," Toph said crudely, running her finger from Suki to Sokka.

"W-what are you talking about?!" the older girl shouted, her cheeks a rosy pink color, embarrassed by the suggestion, yet frustrated at its accuracy.

"I figured that since you re-joined the group, that you and Snoozles here would have been inseparable, but it seems you still haven't taken the final step. So, what's the problem between you two?" Toph asked teasingly, pressing her enclosed hand on the table, irritating smirk locked in place as she "looked" towards the pair.

Suki and Sokka looked to one another, not wanting to go into the details at that particular moment. Katara and Aang looked on curiously, surprised that their relationship had not progressed to that point yet.

"Just because something always comes up," Sokka muttered darkly, his blue eyes drifting down towards the table. Suki's tongue clicked as she agreed, thinking back on all the minor distractions that got in the way.

"Well, Zuko's the Fire Lord. There's no way you're more busy than he is, and he found a way to make it happen. Probably a few times already," Toph reasoned, leaning back on her hands as she let her words sink in. "That goes for you as well, Twinkle Toes and Sugar Queen," she joked, smirking as she felt the agitation in each of the other four teens.

"So, what, you're saying that maybe we're not as serious about it as Zuko and Ty Lee are?" Katara asked, uncharacteristically shaken by something Toph said. The blind girl blinked a bit in surprise, before bursting out into laughter.

"Oh man, you guys are classic. I wasn't saying anything like that. I'm just saying that sometimes you have to make your own luck, like Zuko has done pretty much his whole life. Sometimes it'll blow up in your face, but there's just as much a chance that it works out fine," she said, each couple looking to one another as the took the girl's words into account.

"Wow, you're really smart Toph. I guess all that time around Iroh really does help. Maybe I should spend some more time there," Aang said excitedly, clasping Katara's hand with his, smiling as he caught the nervous smile from the darker skinned girl.

Suki and Sokka stared into one another's eyes, fully considering just running out and "making their own luck" right then and there. But they were stopped as Katara broke eye contact with her own boyfriend long enough to ask an important question.

"Where is Zuko? I mean, it's the day we're supposed to head out, to enact his crazy plan, and he's nowhere to be seen," she said, somewhat angry at being held up by a moment of laziness.

"You don't think they really…" Suki asked, smiling nervously as she looked to Katara then Sokka, each set of blue eyed widening in realization.

"I never would have thought he meant it…" Katara said weakly, her stomach fluttering wildly at the thought.

"You think they were really doing that the whole time?" Aang asked innocently, his ears burning red with the thought. All further questions were ended as the door creaked open, a shadow being cast upon the small group as the Sunlight flowed past a form in the door. The assembled teens looked towards the figure, wondering who it was.

"Oh… hey guys," Zuko said weakly, his voice strained and his movements sluggish as he made his way into the room. As his face came into view, everyone's eyes opened in surprise, his golden eyes surrounded by dark bags, his lids fluttering open and shut as he walked.

"Zuko, what the hell happened to you?" Katara said, she and Aang making their way over to the young man, supporting him as he nearly fell over. He seemed to take a moment to register that they were speaking to him, his eyes looking glazed over and distant.

"Oh, Katara, Aang. How are you guys doing?" he questioned, smiling weakly at the pair of teens supporting him. They guided him to one end of the table, gently propping him up across from Suki.

"We're fine, but what happened to you? You look like a wreck," Katara said, looking into his normally fiery golden eyes, noticing the exhausted look in them. "Don't tell me you guys…" she began, before the bubbly acrobat made her way into the room, looking none the worse for the wear.

"Oh, good morning you guys. It's a nice day, isn't it?" she chirped, taking a seat next to Zuko before starting on her breakfast.

"Ty Lee, what happened to Zuko?" Aang asked, figuring that if they had been doing such an activity, that the girl would show some signs of it herself.

"I think it's because he hasn't slept in 2 days. We were having lots of fun," she said, clutching her cheeks in embarrassment, the others' jaws hitting the floor as her words echoed in their ears.

"You mean you really just had sex for a whole day!?" Sokka asked, envious and shocked at the same time. The girl simply nodded, casting a sidelong glance to Zuko as the others stared in disbelief.

"So then how come you're so peppy?" Toph asked, curious as to the source of the girl's boundless energy.

"Hmm. I don't know. Life's just too fun to be tired, you know?" she explained, her air headed smile on her face as she set about munching on the meal in front of her. Apparently she had been quite spent, as she set to it in much the same way as Sokka, a change for the young girl.

"God, Zuko must be exhausted," Katara said, sitting next to Aang once again, keeping her eyes on the wobbly form of the young man.

"No, I'll be fine. I just… need some… sleep…" he muttered, his eyes trying desperately to close, but his mind trying to keep him awake. Ty Lee's lips curled into a sad sort of frown, and she bowed gently towards the older boy.

"I'm sorry, Zuko. I just figured you could handle it, but I guess you need some rest," she said sweetly, placing a soft kiss on his cheek, the gesture seemingly giving him a hint of energy.

"It's alright. It was a lot of fun, after all," he muttered, yawning loudly as the exhaustion caught up with him. Reaching out, he grabbed what he suspected were the most sugary foods, needing the brief rush of sugar in his body.

"You alright, Zuko?" Aang asked, munching on his fruits quietly as he watched the two devour heavy doses of food.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just need some sugar."

"We could always just hold off on this crazy trip of yours, so you can actually get some rest," Suki said, a new level of respect for the acrobat's level of energy burning in her mind.

"No, that's alright. I want to get this all over with as soon as possible," he muttered between gulps of food, his manners leaving him as he inhaled the various sweets. As the sugar's effect hit him, his eyes popped open, a surge of energy passing through him. "Wow, this stuff is great," he said, his brow raising in suspicion at the questioning glares from the others.

"What's with you guys?" Ty Lee asked, noticing the questioning looks they were each getting.

"Oh, it's nothing," Suki excused, hurriedly averting her gaze back to the food in front of her, trying to ignore the question burning in her mind. But Toph had no such qualms, opting for the direct approach.

"So, how was it?" she asked, leaning in towards the bubbly brunette as she spoke, smirking at the shocked chokes and gasps from each other teen present.

"Toph, that's not appropriate to ask!" Katara warned, Zuko's face showing his trademark agitation and embarrassment as the others tried to hide their own embarrassment.

"Aww come on, it's not like it's a state secret or anything," Toph said, enjoying torturing the others, asking what they were probably all thinking to some degree.

"It's not about that. It's just rude," the water bender said, silently wondering the same thing herself.

"Oh, it was totally am-" Ty Lee began, before Zuko clamped his right hand over her mouth, mortified that she would just say something like that so directly. His chest heaved in agitation as he whispered for the girl to not just say it so directly, her soft brown hair swaying as she gently nodded in affirmation.

"That's what I thought. All that fire bender emotion. I always figured that Sparky would be the best lay in the group," Toph said crudely, smiling triumphantly at her excellent deduction while the others looked at her completely dumbfounded.

"What the hell do you mean by that?!" Sokka asked indignantly, his masculine pride hurt by the simple comment.

"Well, he's got all that pent up emotion, and all the energy from controlling them, plus he's got you guys beat when it comes to the physical aspect as well," Toph explained, Katara and Suki each looking away as their respective boyfriends tried to get some defense in that regard. Cool stares were directed in Zuko's direction as he was using some of his newfound energy to control himself from exploding on the little earth bender.

"How the hell do you know that?" Sokka asked uncertainly, not sure he really wanted to know how she could know such a thing.

"I can sense how big your bodies are, and his is more solid, more defined than yours. Probably from a life of martial arts training," Toph continued, smirking as she knew the older boy would make a different assumption. Sokka set into a grumble about how he was probably better than Zuko.

"So why did you think Zuko would be the best in bed?" Ty Lee asked mindlessly, Zuko's hands covering his face as the conversation continued to move around him.

"Damn it, don't just talk about me like I'm not here!" Zuko ordered, entirely flustered by the fact that he had again become the topic of discussion for the whole group. It was something he was beginning to grow irritated by, with their penchant for gossip.

"Well, Twinkle Toes is way too timid. It took him forever to even admit he liked Sugar Queen. Snoozles here has the attention span of a gnat, and he's never been the master of… subtlety," Toph teased, ignoring the order to cease her topic of discussion, delighting in the frustrated vibrations from the young fire bender.

"Hah. Shows what you know. Zuko's got the biggest temper of anyone in the group, and he's always been as subtle as a rampaging komodo-rhino," Sokka said, slamming his palm down on the table as he pointed to the young Fire Lord.

"So tell me, how long do you spend meditating each day?" Toph asked in challenge, knowing that Zuko spent a great deal of time meditating, and breathing, practicing the basics of fire bending.

"W-well…" he said weakly, his finger falling from its pointing position as he slowly sat back down.

"That's what I thought. And even though it's usually kind of annoying, he takes everything way more seriously than you do, or even Aang most of the time. Plus, he's a good kisser," she added, blushing slightly as she felt the others' hearts skip a beat.

"What!? He kissed you, too!?" Katara asked, her eyes darting from one teen to the other, one in surprise, the other in a seething accusation.

"It wasn't like that. She's the one who kissed me," Zuko tried to explain, confused at the giggles he heard from the bubbly brunette to his side. Turning his attention to the red clad girl, he felt his brow furrow in confusion, thinking that he must have said something weird.

"Oh, I knew she had a crush on you. That's so cute," the girl sang, throwing her arms around the boy's neck as she placed a kiss on his cheek. "And, she's right you guys. Zuko is a really good kisser," the girl added, looking to the other girls in the party with a wide smile on her face.

"God, I wish I was dead…" Zuko muttered, his face the hottest it had felt in a very long time. The others laughed loudly at his expense, finding his predicament quite amusing to behold.

"Too bad Suki and Katara will never find out," Toph teased, propping her head on her hands, a mildly dreamy look on her face as she stared blankly towards the opposite end of the large room.

"Yeah, it really is too bad. But I don't want poor Zuko to get attacked by Sokka again," Ty Lee said, the boy in question mumbling another apology as Suki gave him a sideways glance.

"How would either of you know if anyone is better?" Katara asked, just a hint of curiosity in her voice. Toph and Ty Lee looked to one another, similar smiles on their faces as they looked to the others.

"Just a feeling," Toph said, popping the last bit of breakfast into her mouth, chewing it delicately as she played the kiss she had given Zuko back in her mind, how oddly sweet he had been about the whole thing. How warm his lips had felt against hers, how tingly her body had felt immediately afterwards.

"It's just because he's so sweet," Ty Lee chirped, clutching at the older boy tighter, noticing his increased body heat from his irritation.

"Alright, can we just drop this already?" he asked, sighing deeply as he slumped forward in his seat a bit.

"Sure, since you're so touchy on the subject," Toph rolled her eyes, lying on her back as the others set about finishing their breakfast. Throughout the meal, the others would cast occasional glances over at Zuko, the fire bender not liking the attention.

Once the meal was over, the group split into two different groups, making last minute preparations before leaving. The girls set about gathering a few supplies, while the men loaded the stuff into the saddle of the large bison.

As Zuko headed back towards Ty Lee's house to gather his own belongings, he was stopped by a pressure on his shoulder. Turning around, he noticed Sokka and Aang looking quickly around the street, the older boy not liking the looks on their faces.

"What is it, you guys?" he asked, his irritation still showing from earlier in the day.

"Well, actually, um, I was wondering if…" Aang mumbled, embarrassed over what it was that he wanted to ask the Fire Lord. Sokka sighed, taking in a deep breath before just asking directly.

"Toph and Ty Lee really made it seem like you're good at kissing, so we were wondering if you could give us some, you know, tips or something," he explained, Zuko's face twitching with irritation as the words hung heavily in the air between the three.

"Damn it Toph, you'll pay for this…" he muttered, pressing on the bridge of his nose in frustration, wondering what he had done to deserve such punishment. But as he was about to cut loose and yell for them to leave him alone, he winced as he caught the innocent, pleading looks in their eyes. "Okay, okay. Just knock that off, it's creeping me out," he muttered, crossing his arms as he pulled up to Ty Lee's house, resting against the front post as he thought.

The two younger boys looked on eagerly as he thought, hoping to get some kind of helpful tips that they could use to impress their respective girlfriends.

"Well, there's really not much to tell. You just have to be firm, but not too forceful. You need to be patient, and not just try and jam your tongue in the girl's mouth," he said, Sokka looking away as he figured that particular bit was intended for him. "The easiest way is to just put your emotions into it, not necessarily your brute strength," he finished, leaving the two boys to think about what he had said as he slipped into the house.

"Did you understand any of that?" Aang asked innocently, thinking that the words had gone right over his head.

"I think so…" Sokka said, Aang looking at the older boy with an impressed look, asking him to explain it again. He and Sokka both knew that Zuko would not explain it again, so they would have to try their best to think about it on their own.

While Zuko was gathering the few possessions he had brought with him, and the fine silk shirt he had purchased on the island, the girls were lounging around next to Appa, Ty Lee doing handstands on the rim of the large saddle atop the flying beast while the other girls sat at ground level discussing various things.

"Why do you suppose Sokka and Aang went with Zuko? I mean, it's not like it's a life or death situation," Ty Lee asked cheerily, flipping gracefully through the air before landing like a cat on her feet in front of the two older girls.

"Probably asking Zuko for advice on how to kiss better, or something," Katara reasoned, she and Suki sighing as they imagined the pained expression on the face of the older boy.

"They're such blockheads. They need to stop being so threatened, and realize that we chose them for a reason," Suki added, leaning lazily against the furry bison, the creature letting out a loud bellow as though in agreement.

"That's just who they are. Aang is naturally somewhat timid, so to hear that someone might be better than him at something would drive him crazy. And Sokka is just insanely jealous and overly competitive, which give the same results," Toph said, rubbing her bare toes against the soft patch of earth as the other girls present looked to her and Ty Lee in curiosity.

"What is it, you guys? Do I have some food on my face?" the acrobatic young girl asked airily, idly brushing at her soft cheeks with her fingers, hoping to remove the object of their stares.

"No, it's not that. Aren't you upset that Toph and Zuko kissed?" Katara asked after looking over at Suki, both wondering why the girl wasn't more upset.

"Yeah. If another girl kissed Sokka, she'd definitely regret it," Suki said, cold sweats passing over the other girls present briefly.

"Oh, that's easy. Because I know Zuko's not that kind of person, who would just mess around with another girl. Besides, it's not like they slept together or anything, right?" she reasoned, the other girls sighing heavily at her oddly naïve logic.

"I guess whatever works for you," Katara sighed, swirling her fingertips in the small patch of dirt.

"So, how is he, you know, in bed?" Suki whispered into the bouncy girl's ear, a light blush on her cheeks as the words passed through her ruby red lips.

"Mm-hmm," the girl responded simply, her eyes glazing over a bit with the thought of the previous day, and how little time they had spent apart from one another. "He's always so considerate, it made each time really special," she added, a smile forming on her lips as she pulled her legs towards her chest.

"How many times did you guys do it, anyway?" Toph asked, curious as to just how fit the young man was.

"I don't remember. It must have been at least 10, I think," the chipper girl said, her braid swaying behind her head with the light breeze down from the mountains, mingling with the gentle traces of salt from the sea.

"10 times in one day !?" Katara and Suki shouted at once, swallowing the lumps in their throats as they imagined the physically demanding task, and wondering again how Ty Lee had managed to stay so energetic despite having essentially done it for an entire day.

"How come you're not like totally unable to move, and how are you still so happy and excited?" Suki added, not believing how energetic the girl was. She figured it had to be some kind of an act.

"I don't know. Maybe it's because I'm naturally flexible, or something? And why wouldn't I be energetic? I got to spend the whole day with the guy I like, what could be better?" she responded with a warm, happy smile, her logic completely faulty, and entirely innocent.

"That's not quite what we're talking about. Didn't it tire you out, even a little?" Katara asked, quite sure that she would not be able to handle such a task.

"Well, I did get a little sore about midday yesterday, but it wasn't as bad as that first time," Ty Lee explained, wondering if it was really so surprising.

"At least one part makes some sense," Suki sighed, hoping that Sokka wouldn't try and push her into something like that. "So, whose idea was it, out of curiosity?" she asked, a thought occurring to her.

"I don't think it was really anyone's idea. We just sort of got caught up in the mood, and that's what happened," she explained, her eyes drifting to a patch of white clouds, watching as they floated lazily across the sky.

"Geez, you are both totally lacking in common sense," Katara huffed, listening to the soft chuckle from Toph.

"Well, I guess Zuko is a guy, after all," the shorter girl said, drawing three sets of eyes to her as she spoke.

"What do you mean?" Suki was getting tired of Toph seemingly knowing everything about what was going on, even without being able to see anything, unable to read the facial expressions.

"Come on, just look at her," she said, indicating her hand towards the bouncy acrobat.

"What about her?" Katara asked, looking the girl over carefully, as though inspecting for some indicator of what was going on. Toph rolled her eyes as she felt the need to explain herself further.

"I can't even see and I can tell she's really cute. Just by listening to her voice you can tell she's got a cute look about her. And tell me you didn't notice these," she continued, pointing directly at the girl's well developed bust. As though noticing it for the first time, Katara and Suki looked the girl over carefully, before inspecting themselves, then looking to one another.

"W-well, that doesn't prove anything," Katara excused, folding her arms over her chest, mirroring the gesture from Suki. Ty Lee looked on with an uncomfortable expression, hoping that her figure had not caused any problems.

"I'm sure there's lots more to their relationship than just that, but it's impossible to ignore, you know?" Toph explained, her ears pricking up a bit as she felt the boys return. "But there is one thing I do want to know," she asked, the brunette turning her head slightly towards the blind girl.

"What is it, Toph?" she asked, dusting off her red pants as she stood, ready to wrap her arms tightly around Zuko again.

"Why did you really do it all day yesterday?" Toph asked straightly, the peppy girl tensing a bit as she remembered that the blind girl could sense vibrations, and tell when people were lying. Not being a good liar herself, she figured it would not be long until Toph caught on.

"I just didn't want to let the moment end, you know? Things are going to be so hectic, and probably really dangerous, I didn't want to let him go," she said softly, her smile fading a little as she imagined what hardships were ahead.

"Oh. I'm sorry…" Katara said sadly, knowing firsthand how hard it was to be with someone who was so selfless, so devoted to the world above all else.

"Me too. But, you know, Zuko's strong, and he seems like a great guy. I'm sure things will find a way to work out," Suki said, joining the other girls on their feet, watching the boys saunter up, Sokka and Aang seemingly deep in thought, while Zuko had his trademark frown of frustration on his face.

"I know you guys are right. We're going to change the world, then we're going to settle down," she said, her smile returning as she surged forward, Zuko's eyes widening before the bouncy young girl wrapped her arms carelessly around his neck, hugging him tightly as she pressed herself fully against him.

"Geez, it's like you haven't seen me in years," Zuko said softly, wrapping his arms around the girl's waist, coughs of interruption bringing them out of their little moment before it became something more intimate.

"So, you guys ready to do this?" Sokka asked, hoisting Suki onto the bison's saddle before climbing up himself.

"Look who's talking. I think we should be more worried about you, since you don't know anything about negotiations," Katara teased, taking Suki's hand as she climbed up into the saddle.

"Ha-ha, very funny. But this is my time to show what I'm capable of on my own," the dark skinned boy said, puffing his chest out in pride as he took a seat to Suki's right. Katara took her own seat a short distance behind Aang, who was perched on the bison's head, gripping the reigns tightly.

"Ugh, I hate flying. The first stop better be the Fire Nation, because I don't want to be riding this furball any more than I have to," Toph said, taking a deep breath as she lifted herself into the saddle from the raised portion of earth.

Zuko and Ty Lee stood for a moment, a ray of sunshine seemingly lighting the pair up in a spotlight. Looking into her soft, grey eyes, Zuko allowed himself to smile, brushing her bangs gently from her face.

"You ready to change the world?" he asked seriously, giving her a last chance to back out and stay on the island, more out of harm's way. The girl responded by giving him a kiss on the lips, a smile on her face as she pulled back.

"You betcha. It'll be lots of fun," the girl chirped, leaping elegantly into the saddle atop the bison, leaving Zuko standing alone beneath the bison. Casting a last look out to sea, he smirked, before climbing up into the saddle, next to his new partner.

"Next stop, the Fire Nation capital. I just hope things don't get too crazy right off the bat," he said, looks of apprehension passing over the others in the group.

"Well, I'm sure karma can hold off on any major events until we're all out of the Fire Nation," Sokka joked, not wanting to get caught up in anything major so early in the trip, and hoping that only Zuko and his two female partners would be able to handle it.

"As long as Azula doesn't break out and stage a coup, I think we can handle anything," Zuko said confidently, letting his arms fling out over the edge of the saddle as Aang said the words to send the large animal soaring into the sky.

"And if she has?" Toph asked rhetorically, liking the idea of getting a piece of the crazy fire Princess, but not necessarily liking the idea of having to fight her and a whole army.

"Then there could be trouble," Zuko said seriously, hoping that his bad luck would hold off enough to keep the worst case scenario from happening.

"Don't worry, Zuko. If it comes down to it, I'm sure you could beat Azula. And besides, you'll have the best earth bender in the world and me to help you," Ty Lee chirped, resting her head against the older boy's shoulder, feeling her eyelids begin to hood closed.

"That's right, Sparky. So, you just worry about Miss Gloom, and handling those prisy nobles, and everything will work out," Toph said, hitting the boy on his free shoulder, eliciting a small groan of pain.

"Thanks you guys," he said weakly, his own eyes falling closed as his head came to rest against Ty Lee's, the pair resting against one another as exhaustion overtook them.

As they sailed across the sky, the possibilities and dangers of the immediate future pressed in each of the teen's minds. If everything worked the way Zuko had explained, the world would truly be on the path to peace and balance. But if not, if there were any major mis-steps, then the world could be in the worst shape in history.

But they had faith in Zuko, a faith that he had built through his actions as Fire Lord. He had built a reputation as being fair, and honorable. As they watched the Fire Lord and his girlfriend sleeping, they each smiled to one another, having not seen the young man in such a peaceful state. Fingers entwined together as Toph leaned roughly against the boy's other shoulder.

"This is going to be a long trip," Toph said, hiding her smile beneath her bangs as she tilted her head down, anxious to get back on solid ground.

"Just don't make things worse, Toph," Katara said sternly, wondering if Zuko could handle the earth bender on his own.

"Oh relax, Sugar Queen. I'll keep Sparky in line, so no worries," she responded.

"It's not Zuko I'm worrying about," the water bender said under her breath.

"You got something to say?" Toph challenged, turning her attention to where Katara's voice rang from.

While Toph and Katara began to argue, Sokka and Suki simply sitting back and watching it unfold, Zuko and Ty Lee were sleeping, peacefully ignoring the difficulties that lay ahead. But they knew that as long as they had one another, it would find a way to work out in the end.

After all, Zuko had finally found a good luck charm, and his luck was finally going to hold on the positive end of the spectrum for once.

* * *

**I figured this would be as good a place to end as any. The sequel (as yet untitled) will pick up pretty much immediately from here, so look forward to that. The sequel will probably be way lighter on romance, and heavier on drama and political intrigue. Plus, I really want to bring in the other girls Zuko has met in the series, like Jun, Jin, and Song. What a trio XD Mental images of jealous Ty Lee are very amusing. **

**Immediate plan is to write the final chapter for my still unfinished Gintama fic, A Family Affair. Then, I will give the Toko a shot, followed by a Junko oneshot. I think among all the girls in Avatar, Jun is the most physically appealing, probably since she is like the only one who isn't a teenage girl :P So, thanks a million for those of you who took the time to read and leave comments on this story. It means a lot to me. Hope to see you all again in the sequeland other oneshots. Thank you and hope you enjoyed this story. Until next time, loyal fans.**


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